Evening star., 1929-12-15
Peace Pact Essential
To Success at London
BY DREW PEARSON.

Out of the maze of naval details
which Secretary Of State Stimson has
been discussing every day for two and
three hours with his co-delegates to the
London conference there has emerged
one factor upon which success or fall
ure at London largely hangs.
This Is the realization that some
lateral political agreement must be con-
cluded at London by which the peace
of the world is assured, thus permitting
a reduction Of naval armament. 1t was
only by concluding an agreement OF
this kind in 1922-the five-power pact
preserving the peace Of the Paclhc-
that the Washington naval treaties
could be signed.
some agreement for the preservation
of peace in Europe Is exactly what the
League of Nations countries have been
trying 70 get the United States into for
wears, and exactly what the Senate has
meticulously and carefully avoided, and
it is for this reason that the Hoover
Stimson problem of satisfying both the
Senate and Europe at London Is going
to be so dificult.
without some political agreement Of
this kind 1t now appears that it Will be
fiVe-power naval treaty at London. At
present France appears to be the chief
stumbling block. French objections to
the present naval negotiations plans
may be summarized as follows;
/. France objects to naval parity with
Italy, which is the major demand OF
the Italian government.
2. France opposes any limitation or
cruisers by ratio, arguing that this is an
unfair system of measuring battlefield
strength.
3. france opposes the abolition OF the
submarine, which President Hoover and
Premier Macdonald have gone on record
as faVoring.
4. France believes that no final treaty
should be signed at London, but that
the results of the conference should be
submitted to the League. Of Nations for
further discussion.
5. France believes that the question
of naval reduction cannot be settled ex-
cept in connection with disarmament
on land.
However. it is probable that France
would sacrifice all of these principles il
her security on the Continent could be
assured.
1t is the present policy Of the Hoover
administration to base the London
naval treaty upon the Kellogg pact.
which it believes is Suficient security
for the peace of the world. In
view of the way the Hoover admin
istration has brought all its strength
to bear to preserve this treaty, this be-
lief comes very near to being true.
Even before the events of last July in
Manchuria the Hoover administration
had accepted the Kellogg pact as one Of
the foundation stones of its foreign
policy. Then in July it issued warnings
to both China and Russia In q way
which even the administration of
Woodrow Wilson, accused Of specializing
in international relations, probably
would not have done.
Then in October Mr.. Hoover ana
Premier Macdonald issued one of the
most important statements ever MADE
by the heads of two EngliSh-Speaking
peoples, in which the Kellogg pact was
re-emphaSi2ed as paramount principle
of both nations. Finally, just two weeks
ago. Secretary StimSon appealed to the
entire world to support the kellogg pact
in manner which left not the slightest
doubt that the Hoover administration
would repeat this appeal whenever
trouble cropped out in any other part
OF the world.
There is reason to believe that these
steps were taken definitely and deliber-
ately not only to support the Kellogg
pact. but to place it in such a position
of Importance that Secretary Stimson
could go to London and convince his
colleagues from Italy, Japan, and espe-
cially France, that the kellogg pact was
sufncient guarantee for their security
and on this basis they could safely re-
duce their naval strength.
(Copyrisht 1927