New-York tribune., 1919-02-09
u. S. NavyPl
A $ s allied bv
Lond ON Globe
Presidents Dislike of Secret
Diplomacy and Message
to Capital Is Criticised
Neav York Tribunn
Europedn Bure,f

Nev York Tr-ibu,a
European Bure.-s
Copyright. 1878. New York Tribune Inc.)
LONDON, Feb. 8-Although over
shadowed by the great strike, news of
the naval programme Of America and
the naval discussions in the peace con-
ference in Paris is beginning to arouse
considerable feeling here Even the re-
ported willingness of the Admiralty to
discard the submarine has raised a
storm of protest. The views of the
malcontents are expressed in an edi-
torial in "The Globe" which is some
times the enfant terrible of London
newspapers. This editorial, captioned
Secret Diplomacy" reads:
We had understood-n doubt. it
was our mistake-that there was moth
ing more repellant to the candid and
open mind of Mr.. Wilson than any
thing savoring of secret diplomacy. 1t
would seem, however, that the secrecy
to which he objects is the other fell
lows; that in his own case it is the
legitimate weapon of the cautious
statesman.
Mr.. Wilson has sent message
from Paris on the subject of the navy
bill, which the chairman fthe Naval
Affairs Committee declines to reveal,
on the ground that it is confidential.
But certainly it does seem a little odd
that the American President should be
advocating naval disarmament in Paris
and an enormous naval programme in
Washington
Foundation for Question
at rather suggests that there is
some foundation for the question which
the committee chairman refused to an
swer, whether the Pres ident intimated
that failure to pass the bill would be
fatal to my negotiations
NAVAL disarmament is naturally very
attractive to statesman whose coun
try is a continent. not an island admin
lstering an oceanic empire dependent
upon seaborne supplies for nearly so
PSA SOHt VI us HeCcSSdIX 1OOu. ne
great nation which he so ably repre-
sents does not require q great navy to
protest itself from foreign aggression
and starvation. It's commitments over
seas are neither so numerous nor i'm
portant as to demand it.
Mr.. Wilson will not, we think, allege
that the British navy will ever be
likely to be an instrument of aggres
sion, but it would appear that for the
sake of symmetry, SO dear to the mind
of the doctrinaire, he desires to see it
rendered impotent, and is prepared to
go to considerable lengths to persuade
us to fall in with his idea.
Between friends it is always best to
be candid Therefore, we will say at
once that the people of this country can
interpret his navy bill only in the same
way as the American public interprets
it-that is, that the prospect that Amer
lea may construct a large navy is to be
employed as means to coerce us into
accepting his idea.
Why Mystery About Message7
"1f that is not the meaning, we are at
a loss to understand why there should
be all this mystery about the message
of q statesman who processes to regard
secret diplomacy as one of the greatest
dangers to the peace OF the world.
1--WE aren't, as rule. a different peo
pie to persuade. But Mr.. Wilson should
know that we are bad people to
threaten.
"On the subject OF our navy we are
and rightly sensitive. If
Mr.. Wilson proposes such naval dis
as will leave the relative
of strength among the mail
time powers at its present level, we viii
do our best to meet him. but to the
intmation that If we do not consent
to scrap the British navy America will
build feet which shall equal or sur
pass ours there can be but one reply.
at is no business of ours to criticise
Americas judgment of her naval needs.
None in this country would attempt to
do so. But 1t Is very much our busl-
ness to determine our own, and they