"THE HONEST WRECKER”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 925, 19 March 1930, Page 9

"THE HONEST WRECKER”

CONFERENCE DISCUSSES PAPER'S FAUX PAS DELEGATES’ MOCK TRIAL United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Reed. 9.5 a.m. LONDON, Tuesday. Except for Signor Grandi’s (.Italy) visit to Mr. Stimson (U.S.A.), from which it is understood no progress was made toward ending the FrancoItalian deadlock, the Naval Conference is havihg a blank day, though the telegraph lines to Paris and to Rome are very busy with Government despatches. This morning the conference, according to the British spokesman, resolved itself into a mock trial arising from the “Daily Herald’s” faux pas, in which, n desiring to pay a tribute to Mr. MacDonald as “The Honest Broker” it unfortunately printed “The Honest Wrecker.” A British Official Wireless message says: Although no formal meetings have been arranged, private conversations are continuing between the delegates, directed primarily toward discovering the means of adjusting the opposing views mair i --*-'''d by France and Italy. Definite news of the proceedings seems unlikely for some days and may depend upon the return at the week-end of M. Tardieu, whose presence in Paris is now necessitated by a difficult position in the French political situation. GUARDED REVIEW With the conference in a stage of uncertainty, the review of the situation which Mr. A. V. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty, gave in the House of Commons on the Navy Estimates last night was naturally guarded, and the Opposition, in such circumstances showed a desire not to embarrass the Government by questions of excessive criticism.

Mr. Alexander defined the British policy in its determination to avoid both unilateral disarmament and competition in building, and while offering little comment on the conference, he expressed the view that pessimism would be falsified.

He paid a tribute to Sir Charles Madden, First Sea Lord, who will retire from that position at the end of the conference and will be succeeded by Sir Frederick Field. The main criticism offered by the Opposition came from Mr. Winston Churchill (Conservative)’, who said he thought that the redefined cruiser strength as 50 cruisers less than two years old was such a great reduction as to amount to unilateral disarmament.