New Britain herald., 1928-12-26
CHANCES Of PEACE
Seem TO BE GOOD
YisCount Cecil Of CheVood Gives
Gives Exclusive Interview
BY Henry r. Russell

BY Henry T. Russell
United Press Staff Correspondent
Copyright. 1928 in all countries by
United Press. All rights reserved).
London. Dec. 26 (UP)-Prospects
for world peace are good, in the
opinion OF Viscount Cecil OF Chel-
wood. Lord Cecil. who was Britain's
first delegate to the league OF ma
tons, made the following statement
during the course of an exclusive
THE outlook for peace Is good:
distinctly good. 1t has been very
much improved indeed by the KEEL
logg pact. l sincerely hope that
nothing will happen to prevent it
coming into force. Such an event
would be disastrous to the peace Of
the world"
At the beginning OF the converse
ton, Lord Cecil spoke OF past and
present incidents in his private life
but gradually he drifted into his
favorite subject: peace and disarma-
ment, he said:
May Re MisIed
Il hope certain utterances have
not caused any Americans to be mis-
led into the belief that Britain's re-
ception of the Kellogg pact was not
good one. 1t was. The pact was
very warmly received here. In
fact it was greeted here very much
better than ever dared to expect
You see. Britain accepted the
pact. Not only accepted it. but even
went so far as to accept the very
wording of 1t as drafted by Mr..
Kellogg. Therefore. regardless Of
what may have been said. is or may
be said about 1t verbally. Britain is
bound to it. That being the case.
the most profound disappointment
would naturally result if it broke
down"
Pauses to Stretch
He paused for a moment to stretch
himself into a more comfortab BILE
position in the arm chair which he
occupied. Then. discussing the fu-
ture of peace. Lord Cecil emphasized
above all the absolute desirability
for Anglo-American friendship:
1T has been repeatedly said that
war between England and the
United States is uncomfortable. I
agree heartily. The relations of the
two countries on land las illustrated
by the conduct of their affairs along
the Canadian border have been and
are still splendid. And I both hope
and believe that they will remain so
thus making it quite clear that there
shall be no land war between the
United States and Britain.
THE next step, in my opinion is
that we should arrive at an equally
clear understanding on sea.
I'm connection with this, let me
state emphatically that I do not re-
gard the United States fleet in the
light of a danger to the British
fleet. If America prefers a smaller
number of large cruisers, for In
stance, to Britain's larger number Of
smaller cruisers. then 1 say to
America:
Regret It
IF you insist on this point of
view. ! shall regret It, Because in
my opinion. the smaller the craft
the better But, let me emphasize
mat even points such as these are
relatively unimportant compared
with the main thing which is, I feel.
to get together and limit the ton.
mage of fleets.
This believe is an urgent and
important problem. I am convinced
that upon its definite solution de-
ponds to a large extent the future
peace Of the world. Not because the
british and American fleets are any
danger to one another but because
you cannot expect the great military
nations to make effective agreements
for reduction and Limitation of arm
aments unless the naval powers
show themselves ready to do the
like.
Reduce Navies
I'm my view therefore, the great
thing is to get an agreement between
England and America for naval
reduction. Parity has been suggest
ed fully. I would like to see parity
in tonnage and parity In guns. But
you will never get as satisfactory an
agreement for peace II you negotiat-
ed on the footing Of preparation for
war The thing to aim at Is a prac-
teal business arrangement based on
the principle of parity.
Il consider the Kellogg pact was
a great step forward in the path of
peace. The next thing to do is to
carry out Article II Of this pact.
Then let us start carrying out some
disarmament step"
Lord Cecil began his career at the
bar, after having served as private
secretary to his late father. one of
Britain's greatest foreign minister.
AS child. he learned to believe in
his fathers ideas. one of the chief
among which was a strong hatred
for war. which he said was IAN evil
which one has to accept but cannot
defend"
Speaking OF his university days,
Lord Cecil recalled his friendships
with men who are now as famous as
he himself is.
'In particular" he said. Il re-
member my close friend, DR.. Lang,
who has just been made Archbishop
of Canterbury. He is an admirable
speaker. l think. in fact, that he was
the best speaker at Oxford. I re-
member with much amusement the
time when he. Anthony Hope Haw-
kins (the author) and myself COM
bined together in trying to suppress
for office in the Oxford
union society"
Sir Austen Cham berlain. Britain's
foreign minister. was at Cambridge
the same time Lord Cecil
was at oxford.