Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20
ENGLAND MAY ACT
TO CURB AIR FORCES
Considers Treaty Governing
Aircraft Along Lines OF
$50 Naval Pact.
Rv Cable 10 The Star and New York Tribune.
Copyright, 1923.

Nv Cable 10 The Star and New York tribune.
Copyright, lbs
LONDON. May 19.-The adoption
sf a one-power standard in the air,
leading either to new competltion
of armament in airplanes or negotia-
lions for a treaty along the lines
of the Washington naval pact, for
the limiting of air strength, looms
as the next development in England 5
defense policy
Sir Samuel Hbare, secretary of
SERIAL navigation, has sent to MEM
bers of the imperial defense commit
tee memorandum urging the adoption
of a standard, and at the same time
has come out with a call for the pub
lie to back up his demand. Hoare is
one of the most energetic members
of the conservative administration
and the keenest on his job. For in
stance, he plans to spend his whit
suntide vacation on a ten-day tour
of continental anyways, on which he
will be accompanied by his wife.
If he is now aiming for one
power standard. he is the man to
vet his own way, and there is no
Question that public opinion Is thor.
able only as the country'S defense
lessness in the air. The present posi-
ton is that England has less than
one-third the number of combatant
the disparity in the respective num-
bers of available combatant pilots is
even more decisive.
French Force Concentrated.
The real comparison of strength is
eNsp more marked than this, for prac-
tioally the whole air strength of
France is concentrated within the
country, while the larger part of Eng
lands air strength is scattered over
regions of the empire remote from
> home. For the defense of London and
the industrial centers of England,
the proportion is something like one
in five.
That the average Englishman is
getting worked up over this situa-
ton does not mean that there is
any hostility toward France-it is
simply part of Englands traditional
policy. This country has the one
power standard at sea, even in re-
lation to the United States, and the
recent feat of Georges Barbots of
gliding across the channel is an cpl
taph on insularity.
Weakness Embarrasses.
.lUnless. the one-power standard in
the air is kept up by England. she
has not reasonably good chance to
defend herself, and therefore her
foreign policy is not wholly within
her own control. AS a matter of fact
1t is notorious that weakness in the
air has been for some time a source
of embarrassment to the British for
eign policy. The objection felt by
taxpayers to provide more money in
order to increase air strength is met
by the argument that reasonable Sc
curity can be had by simply trans
ferring to the atr-power account the
Superfuous margin now standing in
he navy account.
From this viewpoint, the govern
ment's plan of spending millions on
the development of the new naval
base at Singapore is coming in for a
lot of criticism, and conservative as
Wen as liberal papers are lining up
penditure to meet hypothetical dan
gers in the far east while the heart
of the British empire is left exposed
TO devastation by an attack from the
air.
Calls Move Insane.
Tord Haldane. though he is in the
b Background in politics, still has a big
reputation, due to his work as secre-
tary of war, which was responsible
for the fitness Of the British army in
taking the field at the outbreak of
war. He strikes a responsive chord
in the public mind, therefore, when
he declares that Ito spend SO much
Tor singapore and to pass over the
much and more pressing expenditure
on the small air force. required for
the defense of the country, seems to
me simple insanity"
The ultimate outcome of the con-
tIoversy may be the creation of a
ministry of defense;
but that England will build to the
one-power air standard may be re-
garded as certain, and 1t is pointed
out that whereas naval expansion has
been a matter of years, air expansion
has been only a matter of months.
The country will be ready either to
expand its air strength or negotiate
that is, to build airplanes to a
maximum point to which other DOW
ers lead. or to agree to a minimum
watch all will accept