New-York tribune., 1912-04-06
MR.. CHURCH|LL'S CANDOR
Naval Formulas RevlSed--A
Fair Offer.
London. March ~.

Admiralty 10 CIllIClSlu loi l'"''V'' ~
oces and provocative measures. The
first Lords speech has produced pro-
found impression in Germany, but while
come Of the aggressive editors have been
,alLinc in a high key there is no eVl-
dorco that il has been regarded as either
helIicose or offensive Before the days
NJ entente diplomacy the two-power
standard WIS invented as convenient
,rphenlism when France and Russia had
,re strongest naVies in Europe ana
combination between them was reason
slI, probahle i'm the contingency OF
I-uropean war. The phrase did not de-
cei,e ANYBODY. but EngGshmcn plumed
themselves upon it as a characteristic
ovappIe Of good form in International
affairs. Astime went on and the strongest
two navics abroad were the German
and tho American. the phrase became
distinctly undiplomatic. since II car
ried tho implication Of an impossible allt-
srco against England. Liberal ministers
ou9Efed IL some time ago by restricting
tho tvo-power standard 10 Europe,
thereby excluding America, and now Mr..
churchill has dropped it altogether as
oheo'etc and meaningless Germany Is
tho challenging rival, and the contin-
reuly Of 4 naval combination is too re-
mote 80 be considered by the Admiralty,
The opeuness with which Mr.. Churchill
has discussed the rivalry of England and
German for supremacy in sea power is
g. tribute to a great nation and not a
menace 10 European peace. Nothing
was 10 be- gained by evasions and in
direct methods Of expression. The plain
and blunt truth was that British ascen-
daurv was challenged by the creation OF
. powerful. homogeneous and sclentlh-
-aVv constructed navy across the North
Sca. Mr. Churchill has said this with
courtesy and good temper. and While
there may bc some disposition to buster
about II IN Berlin and Hamburg Ger
many will like him the better for his
frauknoss and not think the worse OF
Tneiand. His speech has cleared the AR
and enabled leading men and writer's or
both nations TO discuss ono Of the SraVest
issues of foreign policy without equiVo-
cation or disguise. The most sensitive
German at any rate has no ground Tor
COMPLAINT If the chimerical combination
with America against England he dis
missed as = morbid fancy. If British
naval policy he adjusted hereafter to the
resources Of Germany as the next
strongest power. it is an official comph-
mcnt 10 formidable rival, and can he
received with good grace. Americans
CERTAINLY will he pleased to have the
'Vo-rower standard definitely aban-
Toned. especially as their country was
rNeIuded from European complications
h, WashinGton's time honoTed formula.
What then. is the new standard which
Mr. churchill has substituted for the
"orrout coniuring phrase? superb
.rpv of so Per cent in Dresdnoughts
over the German navy With the
marked advantage Of the eight King Ed
wards and eight Of the armored cruisers
n the pre- Dreadnought era. he IS sat
fed that the British Empire will he
safe Tor a few years II it have sixteen
capital ships Of the best type 10 ten for
Germany. As the older battleships and
the standard will have TO he raised. For
the next six wears, II there be no change
m the German naval law. four and three
ships Will he constructed alternately. If
the German Admiralty is bent upon
having two additional DreadnoughtS
during the same period there will have
20 he four more British battleships. II
there arc three additional German
Drcsdnoughts there will be six British
bsttleships TO match them. The ratio
of sixteen - ten applies only to the eX-
lsting German programme. If there be
more rapid development Of naval re-
sources across the North Sea there will
he two keels for one. or at least an al
Tentative Of fives and fours against
threes and twos
This declaration Of British determina-
lion 10 hold supremacy of sea power at
any cost is softened by an explicit adj
mission that any reduction or retarda
uor Of German construction will he
promptly followed by fully proportionate
Shr'nkaGe Of new work in England If
Germany chooses To drop any one or
oven any two Of her annual quotas, Eng
land viii also slow down on a larger
scale. If three German capital ships are
deferred In 1913. at a saving Of $50, ,0OO,
OOO or S3J.OOO,O 900. five British Dread
nouehts will be indefinitely postponed.
There could hardly be a fairer invita-
ton 10 Germany 10 initiate a reduction
Of naval ornaments on the most favor
able terms for her own navy; and if the
current reports about the Orion and the
Lion, with their 13.J-inch batteries, be
wei founded. the holiday would be well
coined i'm England. where there would
oe leisure for revising the plans of what
may prove 10 be miscalculated failures
j is not likely that this simple and
l1dicious plan for the abatement of over
rapid and tremendously costly naval eX-
pausion will be accepted across the
North Sea. The German sea lords will
consider j, beneath their dignity to make
bargain with Mr.. Churchill. even if
Lord Haldane be behind him. They will
p'rseyere with their programme and
possibly enlarge II, but there will be no
Increase Of in Will
Mr. Churchill may be poor diploma
list and worse economist, but he Is
plain spoken Englishman. and has in
creased his prestige at home by his
Fankness and yigOr. More fortunate
than the Prime Minister or the Chan
r'ior or the Foreign Secretary. he
mas improved his reputation during the