TYRANNY OF THE SEAS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 272, 7 February 1928, Page 1

TYRANNY OF THE SEAS

AMERICAN IMPERIALISTS’ DREAM SUBMARINE IS FRANCE’S ONLY WEAPON' By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Received 9.5 a.m. PARIS, Monday. Mr. F. B. KELLOGG, United States Secretary of State, is wasting his time,” says the “Quotidien,” pointing out that the submarine is the only weapon with which smallnavied countries can defend themselves against battleships ind cruisers. “If Mr. Kellogg's proposal is accepted, he will gain a signal triumph in clearing away the last obstacle to the tyranny of the seas dreamed of by American Imperialists.”

riBLIKR messages frdm Paris said E’ tha t the newspapers (here red to the suggestion made by Mr. tnmz that submarines should be as hypocritical and ego’’tfis pointed out that the United tines joined France and Italy in loosing the British suggestion at the Kington Conference, and the wipapers consider that the change iihe American view it only intended make the public of America believe till country would have disarmed ago if Europe hail been willing, nfr say that apparently it has been •orgotten that neither the United tutes nor Britain would allow anyone to touch their battleships, cruisers and destroyers. Tie naval correspondent of the •Dsilv Telegraph” says it would not be wise to attach much importance to Mr Kellogg’s declaration. In the last six years Japan has laid down or authorised the construction of 50 submarines, while the United States has only built six. Consequently the inhabitants of the Pacific slope have come to the conclusion that the submarine is the only fighting ship able to carry war to the American coast. The diplomatic correspondent of the •Telegraph,” however, is of the opin-

lon that Mr. Kellogg has satisfied himself that Japan is prepared to abandon the submarine if the other Powers are willing to do likewise. —A. and N.Z.Sun. The United States Secretary of State announced before the U’oreigri Relations Committee of the House of Representative on Saturday that the United States was willing to sign a treaty with other countries to outlaw the use of submarines in warfare. After the war, during which France had concentrated all her energies on land operations, neglecting warship construction, the country lacked light craft of all kinds. The first post-war naval programme in 1920 spread over 12 years included two submarine cruisers, each of 3,000 tons, 49 submarines of between 600 and 1,500 tons, and four submarine minelayers of 800 tons. “GUARANTEE OF PEACE" A French naval authority recently wrote:—“lf anybody is still inclined to ascribe to us imperialistic aims we can retort that a fleet of light vessels has never yet sufficed to give supremacy at sea. Our battleships are obviously inferior to those of other countries.” “Our present efforts will give us a navy only just sufficient for our security and far too feeble to become an instrument of domination. . . . The French Navy is a guarantee of peace.” Another* French writer, referring to his country’s commerce protection, says:— “Big warships are too costly and too vulnerable. The cheap and sure weapons are, in our -estimation, mainly the submarine and airplane, assisted by a certain number of very fast cruisers.” “BARBAROUS WEAPON” SURPRISE AT FRANCE’S ATTITUDE MR. KELLOGG AT OTTAWA Reed. 11.40 a.m. OTTAWA, Monday. Mr. F. B. Kellogg, interviewed today, reiterated the United Stateif offer to negotiate for treaties to outlaw the submarine, whicht he described as a “barbarous” method of warfare. He declared that the United States would offer such treaties as fast as the arbitration treaties now effective expired. He declined to discuss the United States’s naval programme, and expressed surprise at the hostile attitude of France -toward the submarine suggestion. Mr. Kellogg said: “No discourtesy was intended in my letter to which France takes exception. I announced that the United States was willing to sign a treaty abolishing submarines if other World Bowers would also take that step.—A. and N.Z.