NAVAL NEGOTIATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 3 August 1929, Page 7

NAVAL NEGOTIATIONS

A LULL

(United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Australian Praia Assooialma)

LONDON, 2nd August, With Mr MacDonald’s departure for Lossiemouth and Mr Dawes’s pending Irish tour, a brief lull is expected in the Anglo-American naval negotiations. Mr Baldwin, speaking at Malvern, said there could ho no complaint at the Government holding up the fresh naval programme if there was a real chance *of agreement with other Powers, but he thought it unnecessary and rash to interfere with the existing programme. There was a tendency on the part of a new party to try to jump too quickly, hut “more haste less speed” was truer in international politics than in any other walk of life.

WASHINGTON, 2nd August, Four points on which London reports state Mr .MacDonald and Mr Dawes have reached an agreement in the naval discussions are said in authoritative sources here to have no relation to facts.

SENATOR BORAH’S VIEWS

WASHINGTON, Ist-August,

Mr Borah . issued a statement to-day, alter having presumably discussed naval questions with President Hoover.yesterday. In part lie said: “Parity coupled with reduction means much —it means a great deal; hut parity coupled merely with limitations means very, little. If I understand the reports of ’our Navy Department correctly Britain*' now lias 59 modern cruisers and 8 more, are being built, constituting in tonnage 375,300 tons, whereas we how have 18 modern cruisers, built or building. If Britain will follow our example at the Washington Conference and sink some of her ships and thus come to parity it will not only save the taxpayers but reduce incentive to war; but if we have to build up to parity it vastly increases the burden of the taxpayers and augments incentive to war. What we really desire is a reduction of armaments. That is the primary-thing for which we are contending, and if parity wei'e used to justify building huge armaments it would become a menace instead of security. I notice from London dispatches that Britain will not reduce her cruisers. That is very discouraging news.” PRESS STATEMENT i (Received 3rd August, 10.50 a.m.) 1 ' _ LONDON, 2nd August.* The “Evening Standard” asserts that Mr MacDonald and Mr Dawes have readied a. formula restricting the building of battleships, decreasing 'their size, and prolonging the life of those now in commission. They declare their willingness to slop the building of submarines. The paper states that it will form a basis of communications .to France, Italy and Japan.