New-York tribune., 1921-11-16
Text Of Bnlfour's address Accepting
Principle Of Americas Naual Plan


ness is obvious to everybody who re-
fleets; it is present in the minds OF
our enemies, # we have enemies. Do
not let it be forgotten by our friends.
sThese reflections, with your kind
ness, have indulged in in order TO OK
plain why it is that am addre ssing
you at the present time. We have had
to consider. and we have considered
the great scheme laid before you by
our chairman. We have considered it
with admiration and approval. We
agree with it in spirit and in principle.
We look TO it as being the basis Of
the greatest reform in the matter OF
armament and preparation for war that
has ever been conceived or carried out
by the courage and patriotism OF
statesmen. do not pretend, Of course
lit would be folly to pretend-that
this or any other scheme by whatever
genius it may have been contrived, can
deal with every subject, can cover the
whole ground of international recon-
struetion. It would be folly to make
the attempt and it would be folly TO
pretend that the attempt has yet
been made in any single scheme,
as was clearly explained by the secre-
deals, and deals only, with three ma
tions which own the largest fleets at
present in the world. 1t therefore, of
necessity, omits all consideration for
the time being of those European ma
tions who have diminished their fleets,
and who at present have no desire, and
hope never will have any desire. TO
own fleets beyond the necessities that
national honor and national defense
require.
Burden Of Land Armaments
sAgain, it does not touch cues
ton which every man coming from
Europe must feel to be question of
immense and almost paramount I'M
portance. | mean the heavy burden OF
land armanaents. That is left on one
side, to be dealt with by other schemes
and in other ays. What it does is
surely one of .he biggest things that
has ever yet been done by construc-
tive craftsmanship. 1t does deal with
the three great fleets OF the world. and
in the broad spirit in which IT deals
with those fleets, in the proportion OF
Disarmament which it lays down for
those fleets, the government of the
country which I replt sent is in the
fullest and the healtiest sympathy
with the policy which the United States
have brought before us for cur con-
sideration They have, as we think
most rightly, taken the battle feet
as the aggressive unit which they have
in the main to consider; and in the
Battle fleet you must include these
auxiliary ships without which mod
ern battle feet has neither. eyes. nor
against certain forms of attack, and
little power of observations; little
power of dealing with any equal foe
to which it NAV be opposed.
ssTaking those two as really belong
ing to one subject--namely the battle
feet-taking those two, the battleships
themselves and the vessels auxiliary
and necessary to battle feet, we
think that the proportion between
these various countries is acceptable; !;
| we think the limitation OF amounts IS
reasonable; we think it should be ac-
cepted; we firmly believe that 1t will
be accepted.
Expects Warm Approval
"tn my view the message which
has been sent around the world on
| Saturday is not message which is go
ing to be received by those most con-
cerped with cool appreciation. ] be-
lieve it is going to BIZ received by them
! with warm, hearty approval and with
every effort at full loyal and complete
cooperation,
such an occasion as this if / were tc
attempt to go into any details. There
are questions-~and / have no doub|
/ that the Secretary OF State, our chair.
man, would be the frst to tell US thai
there are details which can onlg bs
adequately dealt with in committee
At the first glance, for examnle, anc
/ give it merely as an example,
| ;pcIfpaS tc think thatr,
haps too large an amount of tonnage
! has been permitted for submarines
Submarines are class of vessels nos
easily abused in their use and which
4 in fact, in the late war, wsse mos
grossly abused, We quite admit tha'
probably the submarine is the defen
sive weapon. properly used, Of tht
weak. and that it would be impossible
or if possible, it might be thought pn
desirable, to abolish them altogether
But the amount Of submarine tonnag'
in excess, believe, OF the tonnage pos
sessed by any nation at the presen
moment and ! only throw it out as
suggestion that it may we'll be wortl
considering whether that tannag
should net be further limited ant
whether, in addition to limiting tn
amount OF the tonnage, it night no
be practicable, and If practicable, de
sirahle, to forbid. altogether the cen
struetion OF these vast submarines o
great size which are not intended. 70
defense, which are not the weapon o
the weaker party, whose whole purpos
is attack and whose whole purpose i
probably attack by methods whiel
4 civilized nations would regard wiz
horror.
Many Other DetaiIs
s'Hewevers there may be other ques
tiops OF detail. questions eonnecte,
with replacement, questions eonnecte,
with cruisers which are not connecte,
with or required for fleet action. Blu
: those arc matters for consideration b,
tho technical experts, and, heweve
; they be decided. they DO not touch tn
main outline OF the structure which tn
United States government desire
erected and which we earnestly wish t.
, help them in erecting.
"That structure stands, as it seem
to me, clear and firm. and cannot he'll
thinking that in the broad outline
whatever may happen in the course Q
these discussions during the next, feN
weeks, that structure will remain as
vas presented by it's original archi
teets, for the admiration and for tn
I use of mankind.
I II have little moro to say except this
IT is easy to estimate in dollars. ar j
| pounds. shillings and pence, the savin
| ! to the taxpayer Of each Of the nation
/ concerned which the adoption Of thi
scheme will give 1t is easy ta sho,
= | hot ~ 4