Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-24
j. S NAVY GROUP
PLEASES LONDON
British Press Comments
FavorabIy on List OF
Delegates.
BY A. G. GARDINER.

by Radio to The star
LONDON, November 23-The publ
cation of the list of United States dele
gates to the naval conference at Lon
don has been most faVorapiy conliiieA'0O
on in the press here. q,
THE personnel of the delegation is
regarded as giving assurance that the
influence of America at the conference
will be such as to give a powerful ex-
preston to the spirit OF the hoover
Macdonald preliminary negotiations:
The inclusion of Ambassador Dwlgnt
w. Morrow is welcomed, particularly
among those familiar with his postwar
work for peace and his large and en-
lightened attitude toward problems OF
international relationship.
Another Adams Is Remembered.
with regard to Charles Francis
Adams, 1t is recalled as a good omen
that 1t was also a Charles Francis
Adams whose work as Ambassador mere
responsible for the fact that the Eng
disappearing world avoided rupture
during that perilous time.
THE controversy in America in regard
10 the principal naval advisor TO the
delegation has been followed mere witt
much interest and the selection OF Pratt
is taken as an important omen Oh
success.
The fact that he was an advisor 10
Charles Evans Hughes at the Wasnlhg-
ton Conference which was clvlllan IN
character and remarkably successful IN
result is contrasted with the unhappy
fate of the Geneva Conference, at which
the civilian influences were Subordlnate
and Admiral Jones was delegate
Anticipations in regard to the coming
conference are hopeful in spite OF the
fact that the range of subjects to be
covered is much wider than at Geneva
and that the problem is not one OF
reconciling the views of America ana
ENGLAND. but one of involved accom-
fnodations with France, Italy and
.Japan. The basis of the confidence is
a profound change in the Anglo Amer
lean atmosphere and the valuable pre-
paratory work which is being done ana
for the lack of which the Geneva Con-
ference largely failed. All five powers
are now engaged in an informal ex-
change of views similar to that which
took place during the Summer between
England and the United States.
Many Formidable Questions.
II is realized that many questions
being raised are of formidable diff
Guilty. Apart from the acute contro-
versy between France and Italy on the
ground of the latters claim to parity,
the japanese governments demand, an
nounced this week, for a quota OF TO-
OOO-ton cruisers. equal to 70 per cent
of the American strength, raises an
issue of capital Importance The writer
has reason to know that japan Will
press the demand with great insistence.
1t is argued that the Washington
agreement was accepted because Japan
was satisfied that the existing Amerl-
50 fNn NKiH
dispersed to maintain an American bat
tie feet in the western part of that
ocean, but that 10,000-ton cruisers had
been specially designed to operate over
long distances comparatively indepen-
dent of bases and that, therefore, the
case for the acceptance Of the so per
cent cruiser ratio no longer holds.
1t Is pointed out here that the argu-
ment resembles the ground Tor the
American demand for a larger quota
OF cruisers than the British, but it Is
held unreasonable that the limitation
treaty should give japan cruiser
ratio higher than she could possibly
maintain in building competition with
the United States. Moreover, an in
creased cruiser ratio for Japan in rela-
ton with the States would imply a
larger ratio compared with Great
Britain and may affect also the French
and italian demands.
The problem is one vi great deltcacy
for the British government. 1t must
avoid the danger of revlving japanese
suspicion that the termination of the
Anglo-Japanese alliance has been fol-
lowed by anything IN the nature of an
Anglo American understanding directed
against Japan.
It is hoped that Japan will remember
the lesson Of Geneva and avoid the
minimum calculated to wreck the con-
ference and leave the subject open for
q reasoned solution. But the case Illus
trates, at any rate, the weighty issues
that confront the London conference.
(Copyright, 1929