The Washington times., 1929-08-28
PALESTINE
CAUSING
WORRY
By GEORGE HOLMES
international News service

international News service
The Negotiations for an
Anglo American naval agree
ment have reached the stage
where definite proposals and
counter proposals are being
exchanged between Washing
ton and London with increas-
ing swiftness and regularity.
A week ago a rather lengthy
communication was sent to Ambas-
sador Dawes, in London, setting
forth the American position in
detail Dawes promptly took it to
Scotland, where Premier Macdonald
was vacationing. Yesterday reply
reached Washington. 1t formed the
subject matter for four,hour con-
ference between President Hoover,
Secretary of State Stimson, Secre-
tary of the Navy Adams. and Under
Secretary of State Cotton. Another
communication is, expected to go
winging London-ward before the
end of the week.
proposed Text secret
The exact nature of this exchange
has not been divulged. The position
taken by the White House is that
there is not enough definiteness to
the proposals yet to serve any good
purpose by making them public.
The definite objective, however. is
q five.power naval conference this
winter in London, and the hope is
AaN
when Macdonald comes to Wash
angton some time in October.
The political phases of the prob.
lem are causing President Hoover
and Premier Macdonald almost, if
not as much, trouble as the more
technical matters of tonnage, yard
sticks, defensive and offensive value
of different types of ships. etc.
Need Public Support
To be of any value, any agreement
the statesmen may arrive at must
be supported by the bulk Of public
opinion in both counties, expressed
through Parliament and Congress.
Any agreement which calls for
drastic reduction in Britain's cruiser
strength is certain to be attacked in
Parliament, where British naval SUI
premacy has always commanded
whole-hearted and non-partisan sup
port.
Similarly, any agreement which
will leave the American Navy short
of parity with the British is certain
to be savagely attacked in Congress.
The roat that went up when Presi-
dent Hoover summarily suspended
the 15-cruiser building program has
again whet Congress reconvenes
for business.
Parity can only be attained by
American building or British reduc-
,tion-unless some magic yardstick
can he evolved that can bridge the
existing wide gap between the two
aavies in cruisers.
Palestine Worries
Curiously enough, the present flare
- of trouble ~ Palestine is adding
the political troubles of both Presi-
Cent Hoover and Premier Macdonald.
British critics are already citing
the Palestine war" as an example
of the work which the British navy
is constantly called upon to per-
form, and from this arguing that
Britain's horizontal naval strength
cannot be. with safety, reduced be-
yond its present point.
The British argument is finding
it's counterpart in the covert criti-
cism heard here of the incongruous
position of the American State De-
partment in having to call upon the
British Foreign Office to rush
British warships to Palestine to pro-
tect American lives and property.
No American ships are available
for this duty. even If the POLITICAL
situation permitted them to be sent.
The Palestine incident. whether
justifiable or not. has given the
bigger-navy advocates on both sides
OF the Atlantic ammunition with
which to support their respective
positions. All Of which doesn't
make any easier President Hoover's
self lf.imposed task of attaining not
only naval limitation. but actual
naval reduction.