The Guardian And Evening Star, with winch is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1930. NAVAL CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1930, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with winch is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1930. NAVAL CONFERENCE.

Tme h ifell hopes ami expeciauons as to tne outcome of the Naval Lonteiciue now sitting m London have .been a 'declining quantity for some time. It was hoped that Llie visit ol the British Prime .Minister to the states, and the confirmations with President Hoover and other overtures, had paved the ■ 'way to a clearer, understanding,- and that matters would run smoothily and quickly to the desired conclusion, those hopes have not materialised, and other complications of a divergent character have arisen to delay a happy issue. At the best now, the outcome is likely to fail far short of general expeetalious. The nations involved are still at variance with each other, nor ' is there any obvious-possibility of confidence. ’ in each ' other. Rather is it. the reVerse. Each, as it were, seeks to possess a navy greater than the other, so that any real limitation and certainly no material redu.tion in the aggregate naval armament, is likely to come to pass at all speedily. During the earlier stages of the Naval Conference the discussions centred principally round the 'relative naval strength of Britain and America. At the moment when an agreement on the points at issue between these two Powers appeared possible, France intervened with the presentation of a programme which seemed likly to precipitate all previous arguments'and compromise into the me.lting-pot again. Then came the political crisis in France which compelled the Conference to postpone consideration of all questions affecting France’s interests tor tfie time. In the interval, Japan has discreetly seized an opportunity to submit certain suggestions which, if they lead to an amicable understanding with the United States, will more than repay the Conference for the loss of time occasioned by the temporary submergence of M. Tardien. In view of the political relations between the United .States and Japan, and their rival interests in the Far East, Japan’s claims have always been taken seriously by the Americans. At the Washington Conference in 1922 Japan formally accepted the famous 5—5—3 ratio, which left lieu with a fleet of battleships representing only 60 per cent, of the strength of Britain or America. But though Japan was content with this ratio in battleships she has decided that she needs a larger proportion of cruisers and smaller craft. Her delegates therefore came to the Conference prepared to press for a slightly higher ratio—7o ir. place of (,J per cent—in cruisers. It is on this special point that the Americans have now suggested a compromise which Japan seems inclined to accept. The diffi- ] culty about conceding to Japan 70 per cent, of British or American strength in cruisers is that if Jap,an were to < exercise the right to build large mi is- j ors, she might soon he equal in this j respect with Britain, which is coiicen- . Rating chiefly on small cruisers. Tt is , a curious complication, remarks an cx- { change, and it illustrates in a forceful N wav the difficulty of adjusting rival ( claims to suit all the Powers at once, j To obviate anv revival of tlie trouble between the Unilcd Stales and Bri-

lain over cruisers, the Americans are doing their host, to persuade Japan to confine her now programme oliiofiv to small cruisers. Japan, as an insular Power depending chiefly on her import trade for subsistence, has the same need as Britain for a large fleet of cruisers to protect her oversea communications: but if sbo can he induced to be content with this limitation of her demands, one of the chief obstacles to the unanimity of the Conference w 11 disanpee.r. France will now bo reappearing on the. s'‘ono, and no doubt if it is found .Lmnn has made some ninnwosq to satisfy h' l, ‘ higher naval ii ! ”l'Rions. France will he anxious to move similarly. And if Franco has that advantage, Italy which all almm desires to be on a par with France, will make equal demands. The diffcwlties ahead of I he Conference appear to lie increasing rather than decreasing, so that it

is not possible to forecast finality. Some oi the delegates are still hopeiul of achieving results which will give gratification, hut at the moment there is not a. great deal of foundation for that optimism. 'The interruption due to the political crisis in Frame was unfortunate in many ways, breaking in on the continuity of the conversations, Out as it is likely in the end to bring M Behind into the ‘picture, there may be some compensation in the end for that strong man is rather trusted by France, and any steps he might approve are likely to be more readily accepted. The Naval Conference might well hurry on now. There has been ample time to state situations and discus's. possibilities, and it would he weil if resolutions were now the order of the day, and this memorable gathering brought a conclusion.