Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
bR|TON ADV|SESU.
TO BUILD CRUISERS.
"Future Will Take Care of It.
self" He Says, Commenting
on Borah Proposal.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

BulIu your 10 cruisers, take the
British propaganda complex out OF
American naval discussion, and the flu
ture-including freedom of the seas
will take care of Itself" Thus spoke
to the writer distinguished Briton in
washington who was asked to COM
ment on Senator Borah's proposal to
defer the construction of American
cruisers until there has been an at
tempt TO recodify maritime law at an
international conference. The person.
rse quoted is in position to reflect au-
noritative British opinion
Phe Summer or Fall of 1929, when
tAow administrations will be in office at
both Washington and London, is named
As the moment when Anglo American
Eaval questions ought to be approach
aule from a fresh angle. President
Hoover's regime will not have been in
stalled very long before the British
general elections will take place It is
well within the range of possibilities
that the naval issue may figure con-
spicuously in the parliamentary cam
paign which will be fought out in
Say, June or July. According to the
present outlook, the existing Baldwin
Conservative government will go to the
country in contest against LIBERAL
Labor coalition in which David Lloyd
George and Ramsay Macdonald, both
former prime ministers, will be the re-
Spectiye leaders.
Bcrah Quotes From Periodical.
III his speech in the Senate Thurs
day, pleading for an attempt to estab-
1ish the freedom of the seas" before
further expansion of the United States
Navy, Senator Borah dwelt at length
upon the changing sentiment in Great
Britain regarding maritime law. The
foreign relations chairman quoted the
following paragraphs from recent
number of the liberal Nation:
IAN able English writer, discussing
the American SpokesmanS concluding
speech at the abortive Coolidge naval
conference in Geneva, drew the follow
ing conclusion: Reading between the
lines, it is fairly clear that what lay
behind American obstinacy on the
question of the 8-inch guns waS-at
least in large measure fixed de-
termination to challenge, in any future
war at sea. the unlimited interference
with neutral commerce, which was an
essential feature of the British blockade
Of Germany
'"This does not, in our opinion over
state the case. If ever again We at
tempt to exercise belligerent rights at
sea, whether in execution of the
covenant or otherwise, we shall have
to reckon with that fixed determine
ton to which the aforementioned
writer refers. 1t would seem wiser on
every ground to reckon with it in adj
vance of any such contingency, by
coming to a clear agreement with the
United States and other powers on the
definition of sea law.
But that is not ALL There is a
big difference in kind between what
we stand to lose and what we stand
to gain. We stand to lose in the power
to exert economic pressure on other
peopleS-a weapon of offense, and, If
10 ever operates effectively, a very
cruel one. We stand to gain in the
security of our own people from Starva-
ton. Is not this latter object one
which we should rate higher than the
former, even from a narrowly self-in-
terested standpoint"
Lord Cecil May Lead Britons.
The expectation at Washington is
that Lord Cecil tbetter known in this
country as Lord Robert Cecil Is ready
to take the lead in reconciling the
British viewpoint about rights at sea
with the attitude of the United States.
Tt was just about year ago When
Borah first brought up his freedom-of-
the-seas plan, that the British Con-
sentative statesman, who helped to
fashion the League of Nations, ex-
pressed himself forcibly on the subject.
He said: Great Britain ought to let
Uncle Sam know that, if Americans
desired it, we should be quite ready to
discuss the whole question of rights
at sea, just as We should be equally
prepared to discuss schemes of interna-
tional arbitration and the outlawry CT
war. Like limitations of armament,
such q discussion would be a step lead
ing to the peace mind and not to the
war mind"
British representatives in Washing
ton are confident that the recent SEN
ate debate will make a profound impress
sion In London and throughout the
Empire. Britons are aware of the high
status Senator Borah enjoys with
President-elect Hoover. They seem
prepared for vigorous Hoover Bolah
drive along the lines which the Senate
foreign relations chairman laid down
last week. Although the British know
from Hoover'S acceptance speech, that
he is strongly in favor of an adequate
American Navy, they believe he rejects
m this country the feeling which is
gathering momentum in Great Britain
That feeling is that "the admiralty
outlook" has got to be strapped to
make way for viewpoint more in tune
with Britain'S present-day position i'll
the world. Lord Cecil, it will be re-
called, disavowed the procedure of the
British delegation at the Geneva con-
ference, because-as it has been de-
scribed-"s strategy was permitted to pre-
vail over policy
Says England Unable to Compete.
Men who are facing the Anglo Ameri-
can naval crisis. both in London and
Washington, understand thoroughly that
the milk in the coconut is Great Brit
aims utter inability to wage a naval
building competition with the United
States. That is why the British at the
Washington conference in 1922 sur
rendered their age-old supremacy at
sea. They surrendered it in terms of
capital ships (battleShips and battle
crulSerS) because the United States had
in course Of construction a program
which John Bull could not equal with
out back-breaking burdens for his tax
payers. There is every reason to be-
lieve that the moment the British are
confronted with an American cruiser
program actually in building progress,
such as the 15-ship plan now before
the Senate, they will be ready to talk
both Limitation and maritime law, as
they were when Uncle Sam had steel
battleships- blue prints-to argue
with seven years ago.
The popularity of the economy
policy and the growth of pacifism in
the United States have combined to
persuade many Britishers that they
could build up their own fleet unlimit-