The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-10
BRITAIN TO CHANGE
BIG SHIP POLICY
Scheme Of Naval Construction
Under Committee of
Imperial Defence.

Special Gable TO THE New YoRK HERALD.
Copyright. 1890, By THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
London, Dec. 0.
Great Britain's empty purse has
forced the special change In the I'M
perial policy so long foreshadowed. 1t
may mean important intervals In the
permanence with which the sun shines
OH the British flag. These intervals will
be in the near East. II may even be
that Britannia will only charity rule the
waves in the future.
Austen Chamberlain. Chancellor of the
Exchequer. made concrete revelation
to this effect in the House of Commons
tonight, at the same time laying down
the principles which will govern the
making Of the next budget He made
perfectly plain one thing-that there
will be no further extension of any So
cial schemes except a widespread effort
to relieve unemployment.
A declaration regarding the naval pol
icy did not materlialize. THE whole naval
policy. 1t was revealed, is now under the
scrutiny Of Committee of Imperial De-
fence. which will decide on the merits
Of the big ship controversy. The deci-
sion thus to submit the argument, Mr..
Chamberlain said, had been accepted by
the Admiralty.
New East Revelations
THE New York HERALD correspond
ent here Is in n position 10 state that
Mr. Chamberlain's warning for retrench-
ments in the Near East is being worked
out in more ways than he revealed in
the House of Commons tonight. Fur
thermore. the situation there is inti-
mateiy connected with the Greek prob
lem. With friendly Greece under NJ.
Venizelos acting as barrier against
Russia and Turkey the Allies contem-
plated an extension of the self-governing
powers Of their Mediterranean posses
sions and a consequent reduction OF
their own commitments there. They have
recognized that in so far as Great Brit
ain was concerned the naval theatre OF
most Importance has shifted from the
North Sea to the Mediterranean. With
an unfriendly or at least a tickle
Greece led by a vain and stubborn mon
arch, England and France. and to a
lesser degree Italy. must be prepared for
any complications in the Near East.
There is current report that the
possibility of an alliance between
King Constantine OF Greece. the Turks
and the Bolsheviki--an alliance between
emily already accomplished-has in
duced Great Britain already to recon
slider concessions proposed for Egypt
In Lord Miners report. Indeed, Great
Britain and France, with Italy and
Japan. are already seriously concerned
over this menace to the neck of the
Empires connection with India.
Hence, while Mr.. Chamberlain talked
of the evacuation of Mesopotamia and
of no new naval construction until the
plans were carefully examined. the EN-
pire may be forced either to scuttle at a
vital point it's imperial connections oil
pay painfully through the nose.
Charges of Wastefulness.
The debate In the House arose ovei
motion by George Lambert Giberal)
not to sanction more than sos million
pounds sterling, which Mr.. Chamberlain
last year estimated as a normal budget
This produced severe attacks, on the
Government for various forms of waste
against which attacks Premier Lloyt
Georges most skillful oratory wa:
brought up by the defence. But Mr.
Chamberlain himself bore the brunt o.
the battle. He cited the 1919 budget O.
3.14O million pounds sterling. the 1920
budget Of 2.106 pounds and the 1922
budget of 1883 pounds, exclusive of tn.