The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-10-05

The Naval Farley a Vision of Peace


The Naval Farley a Vision Of Peace
Ramsay Macdonald. premier of England. is here. He
comes on a mission as momentouS as the voyage Of CO.
lumbus. seeking for all nations the new world Of pernla-
nent peace.
For it is not parity OF naval strength that actually Is
the motive of tho conferences to be held between the Eng
lki prime minister and the president OF the United
States. Both nations, along with others, have given ut
terance to tho resolve that war shall be outlawcd between
them hereafter and their disagreemcnts be adjusted by
amicable means. Neither has made any concrete demon
stration Of that resolve. Adjustment OF their navics to a
basis Of parity will constitute one such concrete rcsolu-
ton in the direction Of universal peace.
So. while equalization of naval strength will engage
their activities. neither the proposals they Will make to
each other nor the decisions they reach will constitute
the real significance OF their discussions. The back
ground Of their stage Of action ovcrshadows the drama
Of their parey.
That background is Peace. The farce Of making tho
world safe for democracy has run its course to the point
Of WEAKNESS and the two greatest nations Of Christcn-
dom arc turning from tho irony Of it TO ask each other
why such an aspiration should any longer persist as a
sardonic Jest. Why not actually make the world safe for
democracy?
So England and America come to the point Of equal
izing their navics, not on the basis Of a presumed actual
equal number OF each type Of fighting craft. which, were
~ pOcSlDlN, NUAIu 4AbAAtStA VIZ ooN = eHA fASoNA1As eA
the prime minister, but by the more complex method Of
establishing a parity whereby the Inequalities in one type
of craft offset the inequalities in another.
It really isn't very important IN the mind OF the
apostles of world peace whether a few ships more or
less are to cast doub. on the attainment Of a perfect bal
ance. The experts cannot agree just how halr-Weight
equality is to be calculated.
The element OF peace III the problem is SO prepondcr-
ant that Premier Macdonald has made light Of the give
aad-takc on the margin OF difference that may remain
when the form OF parity has been mutually agreed on. Hc
said to the British house of commons recently, and thus
said it likewise to the United States and to President
Hoover:
We have determined that We shall not allow technical
points to override the great public issues involved in our
bein- able to come to an agreement
President Hoover. through the American spokesman at
Geneva, has cleared the way for arriving at approx
mate parity through another declaration animated moro
by the great hope OF bringing lasting peace to the world
than by the principle CT the pound Of flesh. His declar-
alton IS:
MY government has always felt that We need no
exact balance of ships and guns, which can be based only
on the idea Of conflict. What is really wanted is a COM
nonsense agreement based on tho idea tia. we arc going
to be friends and settle our problems by peaceful means.
So far both sides have exhibited the will to rcac, agree
ment and thus score another great stride toward tho
goal Of a world Of peace. This is the vital consideration
Of the discussion that is to cnsuc between the two great
6ldlCSWCu-s4ldl tie '@-l1.s4OsS Oh le NC Na!C1S Snow 4
some tangible, some concrete. evidence of sincerity.
The problem from the point of view of the experts will
be to determine what constitutes parity between the two
nayies when the British and the American b~at.le5hip
strengths are approximately the same. while Britain has
365 coo tons OF first-linc cruisers to 1885, GOO in the Amer
lean navy. also a slight superiority in airplanc carriers
and an immense superiority OF naval bases.
On this side. there are $4,000 tons of first Zine destroy
crs to Britains 2.l 900 cad $1,000 tons of first -linc SUBJ
marines to Brita:ns 75lcso, Plus 10000 tons of partially
~a:.iquatcd secoad-linc cruisers for which England has
no equivalent.
Adjustment of tho disparity in first line cruisers in
the United SAFES navy, as compared with the British, is
the crux Of the technical problem. ard Oh this Premier
Macdonald Is Understood to conecde a margin of super
iority to the United States in the combined first and Sec
end line tonnage, as All offset fer other types in which
ENGLAND has a preponderanca. Shall England embark
OIL a scrann.Eg policy on It's superior types or shall the
United States enter Gu a biz building program to bring
It Gil a parity? Neither step ,comncn itself.
IN some quarters il is considered that what is i'm
ro-.an. Is tilns this country shall snuare its professions
G. si.tui~m BY refraining at this time from a naval pol
icy tia. saali increase European distrurt OF us. The
United Sees il ne: greatly liked in Europe. It is looked
ca :, 2 lard or inapcTalistic designs. If. in the parlcys
Tween President Hoover and Premier Macdonald. this
ecs-TE cen dEarin TIE r',-picscns Of Europe as to our de-
.-1-, !. viii prove rcod co:arncn scnze rather than q
E--.u-e {. rss.stecu-na5s.
It's, CT colrsc, is a consideration t1at does not meas
u-e E7 to tie general background Of the WASHINGTON con.
ference and which. as said, Is overwhelmingly tie vtSion
ct establishing permanent peace in the world. II is thi,
vision that will hold the c.are as the conference proceeds
and ~ which the Outcome Of the discussions between the
sgo Anslo-saxon champions will be judged.
Secondhand Greatness y
The chief criticism Of American rports has always h.sn
thet most people participate IN them as spectators rather
than Is players.
Several million people will enjoy our college football
ganaes this autumn-but only : few hundred viii do any