NAVAL RIVALRY

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1929, Page 5

NAVAL RIVALRY

A POSSIBLE SOLUTION. (United Press Association. —By Electric TelegraphCopyrigb t.) .. > LONDON, Nov. 14. There has been a revival lately of the suggestion for a so-called Mediterranean- Locarno, on the basis of which France and Italy might be induced .to accept naval parity in the Mediterranean, by undertaking, with Britain, to guarantee either of these Powers against aggression from the other;

:■ The Daily Herald’s Geneva correspondent states that Sir Eric Drummond ('Secretary oT the League of Nations) is . going to London to see the lit. Hon.- A. Henderson (British Foreign; Secretary) for a special purpose, the imnlieation being that this idea •is-Sir Eric Drummond’s own. The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent says that this idea has previously ' been mooted in varying forms, but, in any case, it is one which’ the British Government will not countenance, for the moment, because its main concern is to keep free from war commitments.

The Morning .Post’s naval correspondent" clhsses- the report as part of of a considerable amount of kiteflying in view of the Naval Conference. ■

Tho Labour Daily Herald's Paris correspondent, tabes up the sub-eet, Ho says, M. Briand’s view is that Britain has already discovered the criterion by which she can measure her.needs in the direction of security. France must now attempt to discover a similar criterion. Any externa guarantee would play a valuable part in the discussnon of Mediterranean parity.