Evening star., 1921-11-16
BRITAIN CR|T}C|SES
BALF0URPRoPOSAL
Liberal Press Declares State
ment Cause of Grave
Misgivings.
KEEPS ALIVE WAR SPIRIT
Continuous Replacement on Fixed
Scale Regarded as Serious
Breach.
KEEPS ALIVE WAR SPIRIT

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, November 16.-Mr. Bal
tours proposed notifications of the
American proposals are received very
unfayorably by the liberal press.
The Westminster Gazette says that
his statement gives cause "for the
very gravest misgivings and disap-
pointment."
1.-THE reservation that a restricted
program of battleship replacement
pe carried on from year to year in
order to save the armament works
at attack upon the essential principle Of
the American scheme" says the pa
per- The best hope for the world
is that this specialized plant will 20
70 rot and that at the END Of a
aecade It may seem worth nobody's
any case even II we should have to
put 1t in order. Great Britain would
pc at no disadvantage as compared
with either Ameriman or Japan.
Would Keep Alive Wars.
The suggested reservation amounts
10 a proposal that we deliberately
Keep alive not only the vested inter-
ests OF the war, but the whole spirit
ana tradition of international naval
q.
to burst into full blaze the moment
the holiday is over. We are con
vinced that, II the real issue is
grasped: public opinion In Great Brit
ain Will never consent to pressing
this reservation. which so patiently
Hughes plan"
The Daily News says regarding the
suggestion that replacement be per
mitted continuously on a fixed scale:
rms seems very dangerous breach
in the whole conception Of a naval
holiday: 40 which might well prove ia
tai to the American proposals. Sure
~. one of the prime objects of the
holiday is to bring in question at the
end OF 1t the wisdom or necessity of
any replacements. 1t would not be
surprising were America to regard
any such amendment as defeating the
whole object with which her princely
nous advantage in new shipbuilding
is made"
The News thinks that the British
public would support an absolute en-
barge on submarines, the only ar
gument against it being skepticism
regarding the possibility of its en-
forcmenE
Pest II Antaxonistic.
Almost all the other morning pa
pers again give fullest editorial dis
cussion Of the proposals. The most
antagonistic among the leading na-
pers Is the Morning Post, which d.
lates on Great Britain's exceptional
position, in the need to protect all
lines Of communication. 1t argues
that ships can always be built upon
occasion and that what is required
In the solution Of that difficulty re-
sides the main purpose Of the Wash
ington conference.
1T is surely within the competence
Of the three great Pacific powers.
says the Post. ito discover methods
for meeting the Japanese require
rinents."
The Post then asserts that even
with such a settlement. which would
leave America and Japan at ease
Great Britain would still have unique
responsibilities.
Must Link Interests.
Great Britain and her dominions
must be able to help one another
across the oceans unhindered: more
over, Britain is a continental power
with consequent responsibilities
at. all either America or Japan
Therefore. it declares, the British
people must consider whether the
proposed plan will sufficiently pro.
vide for the needs Of the British EN-
pire, for, quite irrespective of Amer.
lea and Japan, the British empires
lime of communications might be
threatened at hundred strategic
points by nations wholly inferior ir
naval strength.
The Daily Telegraph takes the view
that If England, America and JapaT
reach an agreement it matters little
what freedom in certain respect,
other governments may assert ant
expresses the opinion that the whole
moral impulse Of the American people
lis behind Mr.. Hughes proposals..