Evening star., 1927-11-27
TURKEY CHIEF FOREIGN
PROBLEM OF CONGRESS
Bitter Fight, Seen Over Resumption OF
Relations, Hinges on Armenian Issue.
Morrow Opposition Looms.

fact. If Panama ratihes the treaty
the United States will.
Then will come the proposed treaty
between the United States and France
| outlawing war between the two
| countries.
Mr.. Borah and Secretary of State
| kellogg are very close together in
their attitude toward this proposal
They perceive that war can be out
| lawed only by a universal assemblaEe
| of all nations. 1t cannot be outlawed
| by two nations.
For instance:
France has treaties of alliance with
certain European powers. 1t is bound
to defend those powers. The United
States would have to promise not only
never to attack France. but never to
attack Belgium or Poland or Rumania
or CzechoSloVakia or JuGoSlavia.
Agreement Held Impossible.
The United States has the Monroe
doctrine. 1t is bound to protect the
Latin American powers. France
would have to promise not only never
to attack the United States but never
to attack any country south of the
Rio Grande
The mere statement of the prob
lem shows that it can never be
solved simply by an agreement he
tween France and the United States
not to make war on each other.
After sounding the sentiments of
Washington iE all responsible quar-
ters. this writer feels secure in stat
ing that Washington welcomes the
sentiment of outlawing war between
the United States and FRANCE, but
remains convinced that nothing ex
cept sentimentality will ever result !
from it unless and until it is broad |
ened to include all nations.
Then, finally. but above ALL comes
the problem of ships-naval ships |
and merchant ships.
Representative Fred A Britten of !
Illinois, militant member of the naval |,
affairs committee of the House Of !
Representatives, assuSeS this writer |
that he is absolutely confident that |
Congress will pass bill for at least |
five new cruisers a year for five !
years running.
Representative Britten says:
This is not against Great Britain |
Or against any other foreign power. |
1t is to give ourselves only what we
need in order to round out our own !
treaty fleet"
Quotes English Expert.
Mr.. Britten can quote on his side !
the most distinguished of all British |
naval writer's. That is Mr.. Hector
Bywater. Mr.. Bywater says:
With the few modern cruisers
now at its disposal the American |
Navy could do practically nothing to
secure the safety of its trade routes |
in war; He adds:
Twenty additional cruisers for the |
United States would be cheap form |
OF insurance for their present large |
volume of sea.borne trade"
The British say that war between |
us and them is unthinkable. That |
being so. Mr.. Bywater the Briton, and |
Mr.. Britten the American, agree on |
more cruisers for the American Navy. |
The approaching Congress will un.
doubtedly give us a considerable |
cruiser program.
Senator Wesley l.. Jones, Republi- |
can chairman of the Senate COM
merce committee, and Senator Dun
can U. Fletcher. Democratic ranking |
member of that committee, will mean
while earnestly press for positive
measures regarding an increase in
the number and regarding an i'm
provement in the quality of our mer- |
chant ships for passengers and for
cargoes.
Without such an increase and
without such an improvement the
building of new naval cruisers is
vain. Naval war demands carrying
ships as we'll as fighting ships.
British Now i'm Lead.
At present the number of British
merchant ships that can go Is knots
and hour is 145. The number OF
American merchant ships that can
go 16 knots an hour is 81.
Washington would like to see its
good merchant ships at least half
as numerous as the good merchant
ships of London.
We are out to get merely parity
with Great Britain in naval ships
and merely something like half-parity
in merchant ships. Both projects
will cost public money.
The next Congress will again
prove that the United States is
abundantly supplied with foreign
problems. and it is likely perhaps to
have for its chief claim to ultimate
remembrance it's handling of the
problem of our ships on the inter-
national highway of the seas.