Evening star., 1928-12-02
NAVAL PARLEY SOON
IS HELD PROBABLE.
O-AmeriCan Conference
J Is Predicted as Result of
Britten 0vertureS.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Although the suggestion made by
Representative Britten of Illinois, next
chairman of the naval affairs committee
of the House, is somewhat unprecedent-
ed in that he requests a meeting with
a naval committee from the British
Parliament, the tendency is to view the
incident as foreshadwoing an early
conference of some kind on Anglo
American naval policies.
Ordinarily the channel of communi-
cation from one government to another
or to the head of one government from
a member of the legislative body of
the other is through the department
charged with the conduct OF foreign
affairs. Last year, however, there was
personal correspondence between SEN
ator Borah, chairman of the Senate
foreign relations committee, and Pres
ident Gales of Mexico. Mr.. Britten,
however, acquainted the executive
branch of the Government with his
purpose and apparently no objection
was offered, though there IS no reason
to believe the Department Of State or
President Coolidge either indorses or
disapproves the move.
AS vice chairman of the Interpar-
hamentary Union, an informal aSSocla-
ton of members of national legislatures
and parliamentS Mr. Britten felt he
had the right to bring about public
discussion of a matter vital to the
peoples of both countries and the world
IN general.
Informal Conference Sought.
Mr.. Britten's idea is not formal con-
ference, because governments can only
act through their ambassadors or Spe-
cial ENJOYS, but the exchange of views,
he believes. would be helpful in focusing
attention on the difficulties and perhaps
working out a tentative solution.
After President Coolidge's clear-cut
speech on naval armament on ArmlStlce
day. European opinion has been critical
/ of American tendencies in naval build
ing. forgetting, of course, that Mr..
Coolidge was more anxious to emphasize
the willingness of the United States to
scrap new construction and limit further
building than to carry out the idea OF an
enlarged Navy.
The gesture made by Mr.. Britten is
taken to mean here that Congress is as
anxious as the President to arrive at
some understanding about competitive
ornaments and that the sentiment in
the British Parliament for the suppress
sion of naval competition is fully under
stood on this side.
N1OlaLlOn Is DkScuSScu
There has been some discussion here
of suggestions that Mr.. Britten violated
the proprietieS in addressing the pre-
mier of Great Britain direct and some
officials pointed to the Logan act, which
forbids correspondence with foreign
governments without permission of the
Government. The question is whether
this refers to private citizens outside the
Government only or to all persons even
in the Government who are not con-
nected with the Department of State.
In later years there have been many
personal communications between MEM
bers Of the legislative bodies and foreign
governments, including executives.
If Mr.. Britten had represented that
he was acting for the American Gov
ernment or for the executive branch his
action would have been viewed as COM
ing within the meaning of the Logan
act. But his step is merely to bring
about an informal parley. Mr.. Borah
took the same action and was not re-
preached for it last year. at which time
it was forecast that the custom would
develop of direct communication be-
tween parliamentary bodies, novelty
that may yet revolutioniZe the formal
diplomacy of past history.
In this connection members OF Con-
gress have from time to time been vls-
iting abroad and comforting with cabl-
net officers and diplomats of other gov
ernn1ents discussing international poll
cies. The question is whether doing the
same thing by letter is indiscreet, if not
illegal.