The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-15
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
Scripps-Ho Foreign Editor

BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
Scripps-Howard Foreign Editor
It is no exaggeration to say that
in promising all-round naval parity
with the United States, Premier
Ramsay Macdonald was risking not
only his own political life. but the
fortunes of the British Labor party
as we'll.
The premier is gambling for huge
stakes. ANGLO American harmony
and world peace are his goal, but 1t
is by no means certain that he will
win. Against him will be arrayed
some of the most powerful forces
in England, backed by bred-il1-the-
bone traditions and fears dating
back more than a thousand years.
Still dominant in the average
British mind are the thoughts that
their navy is their very life; that
theirs is a small island next door
to a powerful array of often hostile
nations; that their colonies,
dominions, and trade are scattered
all over the earth; that their
livelihood depends upon keeping
the sea lanes open, and that a
months effective blockade would
leave them all starving.
Bred Into EngIishman
These thoughts are as much q
part of the average Englishman's
being as his belief in God. To agree
to parity even in capital ships, as
Britain did at Washington In 1921,
was unprecedented and aroused pro-
test.
Even though 1t be to share the
command of the sea with q power
from whom she expects nothing but
friendship" Lord Wester- Weymss,
admiral of the British feet, said at
the time, "this abdication can only
fill with regret and even disnlay
those who realize its potentialities."
If that represented the feeling Of
the average Briton when only capt.
tai ships were involved, it Is easy
to see that Premier Macdonald will
have his work cut out for him II
and when he comes to ask his coun-
trymen to ratify a naval pact based
on parity with America in every
category of fighting craft.
1.-The existence of the British en-
pire as whole and of England in
particular" said L. S. Amery, first
lord of the admiralty under Premier
Baldwin, depends upon keeping
open the highways of the seas.
Starvation Specter Stalks
eff those highways are closed by
the action of enemy forces, the Diff
ferent parts of the empire could
not assist one another in the hour
Of danger, and would be open sep
arately to worries and conquest.
Apart from that, their whole eco
nomic life Immediately would be
paralyzed and England, at any rate.
would have to face wholesale un-
employment and actual starvation.
ITO appreciate the extent to
which we English rely upon sea-
borne supplies" he concluded, "it
is only necessary to point out that
we import, every week, about $780,
900 tons of food and about 10000
900 tons Of raw material.
"And to carry these supplies there
is at any given moment some 1,400
British merchant ships of some 5000
tons and above, scattered over sc, 600
miles Of trade routes, and another
1,400 loading or unloading in the
different harbors of the world"
Such is the basis Of the British
position. With this as their start
ing point, therefore, the Amerys and
the Weymsses proceed to show that
two things are indispensable to
Britain. First, battle feet Of first
class battleships at least as big as
that of any other nation; and, sec.
ond, auxiliary craft, mainly cruisers,
of sufficient number and tonnage to
keep the highways of the sea open,
regardless of conditions and clear
around the world.
Macdonald Faces Grief
1t is this second essential which is
causing trouble between Britain and
America at this time. Admiral
Weymss and his school insist Ameri-
ca has no need for anything like
the number Of cruisers which Brit
ain requires, because neither her
overseas possessions nor her trade
routes are so far flung. Nor Is her
geographical position so open to
peril.
Thus Premier Macdonald may
proceed with the London confer
ence, and even bring it to successful
conclusion, only to find himself I'M
able to secure ratification of what
he has done.
Already many of his countrymen
resent his "abdication" of sea
supremacy ito share equality with
the American eagle" as Admiral
Weymss expressed it, and unless by
new elections or some other means
he can increase his Labor party
backing in parliament, he may be
forced out before his work Is COM
pleted-
At present Labor holds only 288
seats in the house Of commons as
against $50 for the Tories mostly
big navyites), and SO for the Liber-
ais.