The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 1930. THE NAVAL CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1930, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 1930. THE NAVAL CONFERENCE.

The great Hopes centred in me wont of the-iS aval Conference winch opened with due eclat at Westminster on Tuesday;- has sustained the. optimism felt in regard to the ultimate results. It was pleasing indeed to find the King able to be present in person, and deliver the inaugural address. As was, to be expected, his Majesty's presence gave the highest, impress to the importance of the history-making gatli ering, which had been so extensively heralded. The earlier arrival of the delegates and the publicity given to their opinions and movements, likewise added to the public interest. Then came the world broadcast of the opening, with ni.llions of people all round the world listening-in. Here at . the Antipodes, the reception was very much blurred. The “carrier-wave” was too pronounced to give a clearness to the speech, though tne voices could be distinguished and words and phrases were to be picked up. However, the cable is supplying the omissions, and the remarks by the various distinguished delegates all give die impression as to the earnest desire, to achieve practical results. So much for the publicity side of the'.Conference, its real work will be done in committee, where more intimate conference intercourse will be possible. The gathering is now past the window-dressing stage, and the hopes and expectations, iffgh as they are, have now to be translated into action. A good deal of preliminary work has been done or' at least attempts'Til advance. Proposals are in a more concrete and advanced stage than is usual in such circumstances, it now remains to be seen how far a general agreement can be reached. On several vital points there will be necessarily room for differences of opinion. The various conditions of the countries themselves create these differences. Great Britain, for instance, must make special demands under certain heads, because of the prevailing state of affairs, not in Home waters, • but abroad. Other Powers will have individual jfrohlems of a like nature, and these must be weighed in the general issue. It is stated that Britain, the United States and Japan are in agreement along various lines, but majorities do not rule in this ease, and tne plight of the minority Powers has to be considered and allowed for. But if there is to be a reduction in naval power, it must be at least on some percentage basis approximating equality. Tne Powers despite all their demonstrations of good-will, have not gone the length of trusting each other absolutely, and so it is that Great Britain will be as anxious to see'France and Italy cooperating in unision with other Powers, if Britain is to agree to a substantial reduction in naval strength. On the other liapd, the United States will not be as keen ‘ about the demeanour of France and Italy, because the British and Japanese navies are the chief concern of America. The situation in the Mediterranean for instance, will not specially concern either Japan or America, but the position there is of importance to Great Britain. The balance of sea power on that highway to the East, is in point of fact of paramount importance to British interests, and because of that Britain is concerned directly in the French and Italian navies. The two latter, also have their interests, and these it is not to bo expected, are, to be lightly sacrificed. At the same time there is u difference between France and Italy in respect to their individual naval needs, and some reconciliation of views must take place' in that quarter also. It appears that any material llritish reduction of naval armaments must be contingent of the whole world force, > and not of part. This view may throw some doubt oil the high hones for the Conference, but these difficulties should not lie altogether insurmountable. It /has to be assumed that the. interna--1 tional delegates have assembled with a desire to achieve at least a material advance on the present condition of affairs, and that there will he a genuine attempt at a real peace gesture. If there is that sincerity behind all the talk which must flow for the next few days, than something tangible may be hoped for. The best guarantee of the position is confidence and reliance in each other, and a sincere desire to

understand the view-point of the other. Working on that basis tlie Naval Conlerence should achieve great tilings. t .