Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24
FRANCE IS DIVIDED
ON NAVAL FARLEY
Glad She Sent No More Than
Observers to Confer
ence at Geneva.
BY GERyILLE REACHE.

BY Radio to The Star.
PARIS, July 25.-The Geneva Naval
Conference. after making considerable
progress this week, now is held up by
the journey to London of the British
delegates.
The difficulties with which the
Americans, British and Japanese are
confronted are not surprising. They
arise from an initial error. Each
country started on the principle that
1t needs a certain caliber cannon, or
particular number Of ships for de.
tense, and each proclaimed its needs
for cruisers, torpedo boats ana SUI
marines. These principles inevitably
show up the rivalry Of the three
nations, and the armament race which
they desire to avoid.
Opinion in Paris has taken sides,
according to temperament OF the three
different existing theses. Certain
| inclined to defend the British thesis.
Others like lie Matin uphold the
American viewpoint.
Nobody Blames Japan.
On the whole. nobody blames Japan,
which seems to have played a con-
ciliatory part in seeking real disarrna'
ment. AS to the more radical pa perS
| they believe these pacific negotiations
| will make war inevitable, and result
in making American shipyards work
as never before.
Paris is exceedingly glad she sent
only observers to the conference. Ac
cording to the Washington agreement
France has the right to build five
cruisers Of IS, 900 tons each, and moi
only lacks the means to put even on(
| under construction. but Parliament
has gone on vacation without voting
on the naval bill, which provides fot
the building Of one modest 10,000-tot
cruiser, six destroyers. six submarinet
and two dispatch boats.
France threatens nobody on the seq
| it is not even certain that she car
| insure communications with NORTH
Africa, the Italian feet having be
come so dangerous. 1t Is also con
sidered amusing that England WANT
to be mistress Of the seas throughout
the world. like the frog that wanted
to be as big as an OK.
French Mistake Cited.
In a century when the British EN-
pire Is dissociating, when the British
are being eliminated from the Pacific
| when dominions are becoming more
and more Independent, and when the
United Kingdom itself is shaken b.
economic and financial storms, Londol
| hopes forcibly to maintain this un
precedentedly collapsing edifice.
This incompatible mistake is the
same that France made in the eigh
teenth century. England, by skill
| full emigration policy in cOuntriei
where her flag is flying. can uncrowt
her metropolis. now deteriorating IL
misery and unemployment. and main
tain patriotism in her overseas pos
sessions. But one csuiser more or lest
will not change Great Britains destiny
| On the other hand. the armament
race considerably embarrasses Chan
cellor of the Exchequer Churchill
who is fighting adverse forces Il
maintain budget balance.
Opinion Called Valueless.
II he listens to Admiral Jellicoe
even If only to consult the army ant
navy on the subject of disarna
ment, the result is evident. There
never will be enough big cannon. mol
plating thick enough, nor sufficient
tonnage to insure the nations safety
| These people are playing their par
| by demanding maximum means. I'm
fortunately, they are preparing fol
war by being better able to make it
Then, when it comes, they will re
gard the havoc as the inevitable
scourge of humanity. Their opinion
today is less valuable than that OF
the ordinary man, who is not WILLING
to pay taxes for the luxury of arma
ments. nor for injuries resulting
therefrorn.
Churchill means to pay the bill OF
the last war before preparing for an
other.
Copyright 1927