Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-07-12
MERRIAM
SAYS WAR IS
UNTH|NKABLE
Foreign Secretary Tells
Commons No War Danger
With America
DISCUSSES PACT
Argues British Plan Would
Ultimately Reduce Naval
Armament

4
LONDON, July Ii H0-The rails
ing of the question OF secrecy and
sectional agreements in foreign al
fairs by Arthur Ponsonby, laborite,
in behalf OF the opposition in the
house of commons today gave Sir
Austin Chamberlain, secretary for
foreign affairs, an opportunity to
discuss the whole field OF foreign
policy and to touch rather gingerly
lCn the Geneva conference.
Declaring it unthinkable that Eng
! land should enter into naval arma-
1nent race with the United States, as
the idea of war between the United
States and Britain was outlawed in
/ the very soul of every British citi-
zen, Sir Austen said:
! 81 hope and believe that trom the
Coolidge conferences may come pro-
posals which will mark a real step
| forward in the limitation of naval
/ competition, and that, encouraged by
that example, a new stimulus may
be given to the larger. international
conference, which is proposed to con-
slider not merely naval, but land and
air ornaments"
! 1t was obvious, he said, that he
could not enter into detailed argu-
fnent or exposition of the British
case under consideration at Geneva,
but. he added: 81 can say that the
British delegation went there with
O carefully thought out plan for the
further limitation of naval arHna-
ment,s and the extent of the pro-
poSalS our delegation was prepared
to submit may be measured perhaps
by this single pact that for years to
come they would mean a reduction,
iif adopted by the others of naval
expenditure, which we would other
wise have to incur, OF sum nearer
100000 than 4O,00OOO pounds.
The foreign secretary's speech was
largely devoted to rebutting suspic-
ions CT the foreign policy suggested
by Mr. Ponsonby and to defending
the valuable work of the league coun-
Gil. He gave the governmental bene-
diction to any diplomatic attempt to
outlaw war between any OF the great
powers and the United States and
warmly repudiated opposition accusa-
tions of ulterior motives in his in
tervieWs with Premier Mussolini c.
Of Italy and other foreign statesmen.
'F'or heavens sake he exclaimed,
"don't hold it as matter OF sus-
picion that the ministers OF two
friendly states meet and discuss al
/ fairs of common interest"
! It was a naischievous policy, he
said, to suppose that because two
countries were friends their friend
ship necessarily must be pointed
against others. It was that obses-
sion in the minds of German states
men which was largely responsible
for the great war, and he added
gravely:
"It is a tragedy to see the same
obsession, driven out OF Germany,
now taking root in another great
and neighboring country"
Incidentally the secretary reiterated
his denial that the British govern
ment was attempting a great in
ternational anti-Russian bloc.
With reference to the naval con-
ference at Geneva he said:
GAS to the question OF total ton
mage, which is looming large in the
press, to my mind and that. OF the
i government the question of total
tonnage is by itself insignificant. A
decision on total tonnage, and that
alone, will by itself be ineffective to
check armaments or secure further
limitation unless some other limita-
. tions are put on the number OF
ships which have the most aggres-
SiVe character and which are proper
accompaniments and parts OF great
fleet.
"Mere total limitation OF types will
not lead to reduction OF naval COM
petition, but will involve the parties
concerned in still further extension
and still further expenditure.
when it is possible to put the
!; governments proposals fairly, there
J will be no doubt as to their reason
Continued on Page Eight