NAVAL TREATY

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1930, Page 5

NAVAL TREATY

DEBATE IN,LORDS

(Received this day at 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Maly 8

Mr Bridgeman opened' a debate in the Lords upon the Naval Treaty resuiting from London Naval Conference. He said so far as the smaller portion of the Treaty which was signed by all the Five Powers was concerned, the important thing was the ,prolongating elf the life of the capital ships He did not quarrel with this,, though it was true were were giving up stronger and newer battleships than America was doing. With regards to the reservation in the Three Power agreement empowering as to increase our naval strength if any power, not a signature of treaty was building to an extent which was threatening to us, that seemed to him to place us in a very invidious position. We had to consider not only the Atlantic and Pacific but also the Mediterranean, and our position in Europe, whereas neither of. the other two ’ signatories were concerned in that way-. Mr Bridgeman submitted that the Government had made a great sacrifice in giving up 20 cruisers, when seventy had been agreed to be our requirements and essential (for the protection of our Imperial trade. It was said this treaty a step towards disarmament. What country besides our own ’had made a step towards disarmament. Some had more ships than before, and some had about the same. We alone had a greate diminution of naval strength and we had already since the war done more than anv other nation to reduce our ships. Where was this great step towards disarmament, except by ourselves.