Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-08
BRITISH THINK AMERICA
IS STAGING NAVY BLUFF
Country Calls ON U. S. to Go Througi,
With Huge Program or Stop Using
1t As Weapon.

last through the nrst round Of .
competition.
The government and the admiralty
really agree that the United States
will not construct. that our whole
attitude 70 more or less q BLUM and
that II We are not unduiy irritated We
shall abandon the whole venture be-
fore long.
To put It quite bluntiy. q large
fraction Of the British public DO not
believe that we could consent TO pay
the price Of naval equality: that. IL
we were willing. we could not ind the
crews TO man the ships. There 10
more than a little suspicion that We
are trying to force them by the threat
to put their naval strength down to
a low point. and that our real IDEA
OF naval Limitation 10 limitation
achieved by scrapping British ton
mage.
Lay Blame on Q. 8.
In this situation the government
has adopted the passive policy. IL
invites the United States TO 60 on
and build as many cruisers AZ II
chooses. II afirms that the British
are not concerned. II informs the
British people that 1t has done every
thing at Washington and Geneva TO
bring about economy and limitation
and we have refused.
Nevertheless one must perceive that
| II we do build, IL we adopt and carry
out a program Of naval construction
which even threatens TO give u ~.
premacy In the big cruisers. there
will be a new situation and another
state Of mind I'm this country. Today
Brttons are irritated, puzzled ana
~ AF>sT
| but they do not generally take II witn
any real seriousness. What provokes
their criticism today 10 not the fact Of
our building. which does not Jet ex'
| LIST, but the mere proposal on our
part to construct 70 parity.
You cannot get away from the TACK
| that the Englishman still regards the
sea az his own particular province.
He In accustomed to rule the waves.
| OF course, what he says 10 that for
him naval power II matter Of NE
and death and that for all other peo-
pies II II q luxury Even those Eng.
iishmen who face the fact OF parity
never say. I'VE shall agree 20 equal
ity." They always say. We are pre-
PAL ed to give America parity. pre-
ciseiy az Il IL were the transfer Of .
bit Of property. --. -
Z. >. Case Not Creo1te0.
Discussing Geneva they blame. first
OF all. the American press. alleging
that Il misrepresented the British
case. Next they blame Mr.. Gibson
for what they regard a. IN intolerabie
stiffness. Finally. they denounce our
adm.rals, who. a. seafartng man.
might BE- assumed to understand the
technical excellence Of the British pro
| posais.
That there h an American point o.
view. that we had case at Geneva
az al. 7 am frank TO say have never
found an Engiishman yet ready %
| believe.
Nevertheless. there is always TIE
| realization that we can build. II we
/ turn out to be willing 10 spend the
money. can get the men and set our
| faces sQuarely against the light. thea
| there is our wealth. our surplus. our
prosperity. But certainly. II we do
build. British ruelic opinion VIII hard
en- into Q bitterness which has never
before existed on this side Of TIE
Atlantic.
Nor do believe that the admiralty
and the navy will give up actual su-
premacy without political fight. cnce
| they see II really threatened.
IN sum, IN nay lUN&utcuEs NNAk8 GEE~
tain Eritons have accepted the idea
Of nava, parity between the Cnstsd
States and Great Britain In principle.
mono has In practice.
Menace to Security Seen.
II the Cnited States would agree e.
a treaty. whether Of arbitration or az
guaranteed Atlantic neutrality. whic.s
would tn fact prevent the American
feet from interfering with any British
blockade In case OF European war.
technical objection 70 parity might BE
diminished. although not abolished
But while We do not agree to AIRY
treaty % the sort there remains the
conviction that eur feet would menace
their security.
In the naval dispute we are up
againss the Instinct OF the race. the
habit OF thought q generations. cue
Of the eldest national traditions In ex>
istencs. When an Enx,.sAuaan says
he agrees TO parity. even when he
thinks no does. In reality he dcesnt
Perhaps should conclude BY saying
that IN my Judgment we shall never
gct our form cs parity by conference.
No British govern,nent could face the
country With the admission thss IL had
agreed 10 parity.
Fer Us the choice - now between
building w and shutting ur.
tccnsrtsAl 1s@ss