Evening star., 1928-12-29
Britten Proposal of Confer
ence of congressman and
M. P.'s Favored.
MEETING WOULD BE HELD
IN LONDON IN SPRING
Reply to American Representative
Assures Support of Law
makers in England.

BY cable to The Star and the New York
Herald-Tribune. Copyright, 1928.
LONDON, December ga proposal
for joint meeting of representative
members of Parliament and members of
the American Congress in London in
the early Spring to discuss naval limi-
tation and sea law was made by Lieut..
Comdr. J. M. Kenworthy, member of
Parliament, in a letter sent yesterday
to Representative Fred Britten of Illi-
nois, chairman of the House naval COM
mittee. Comdr Kenworthy's letter was
In answer to one from Mr.. Britten, in
which the latter suggested that such a
meeting might be held before the Inter-
parliamentary Union meets in Geneva
in August.
The British member of Parliament in
his reply remarks that telegraphic
summary of Mr.. Britten's communica-
ton enabled him to sound out men,
berS of Parliament of all parties and
that IT have little doubt that an in
f1uential group of the unofficial men,
bers of the House of Commons would
be willing to discuss the subject OF
your letter with corresponding group
of Congressman"
Wants to Know Authority.
"It would assist me-" Comdr Ken
worthy continued, "if you could tell
me If you are speaking in this matter
for the House of Representatives naval
affairs committee, and also as to what
would be the probable composition OF
the American group"
Comdr. Kenworthy'S letter continues
Before proceeding further 1 feel
bound to inform you that it is the
opinion OF many persons that naval
parity is not the only question at issue.
We may as we'll face the fact that GER
tain interpretations of international law
at sea have an important bearing on
the future of Anglo-American relations.
IT believe it will be found just as
important to exchange views on this
subject as on that Of the relative
strength of warships."
The writer then explains the fact
that Parliament has adjourned until
January %. and that general election
Is expected next May or June, and
after making his proposal for London
meeting early in the Spring, suggests a
return visit to Washington in the
Autumn by a committee from the new
Parliament.
The Englishmans evident desire to
keep such meetings unofficial as far as
possible Is shown by his remark that
although the British section of the
Interparliamentary Union is being kept
in rouch, my own opinion Is that we
should be able to arrange the meeting
without calling in the help of other
sections of the union"
Special Committee Needed.
Continuing, Comdr. Kenworthy points
out in his letter that there is nobody
in the House Of Commons correspond
ing with the American naval affairs
committee, and that therefore special
committee would have to be formed
but he repeats that many influential
and qualified members of Parliament
of all parties would be willing to CO.
operate"
Remarking that the difficulties in the
way of the proposed meeting cannot be
overlooked, Comdr. Kenworthy assures
Mr. Britten that "all will agree that
nothing but good can come from a
frank and free exchange of opinion be-
tween duly-elected representatives OF
our two great peoples" In another pas
sage he says: 1T may be that by your
courage you have opened up new road
to international peace and understand
ing"
Documents Here Cause Stir
Incidentally, 1t is worthy of note that
considerable space was devoted fy the
British press yesterday and today to
the publication in Washington of the
second volume of documents dealing
with foreign relations during the war
and that the diplomatic correspondent
of the Daily Telegraph this morning
professed to see in the publication at
this time an American attitude tenta-
tive toward conference on sea law.