Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-06
TWO PACTS Basis
OF FRENCH WANTS
Mediterranean Aid and
Treaty to Confer in Case of
Breach Crux of Stand.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOwRER.
BY Radio to The Star and Chicago DAILY
News. Copyright, 1890.

BY PAUL SCOTT MOwRER.
BY Radio to The Star and Chicago DAILY
News. CopyriGht, 1880.
LONDON, England, February g.
The time has now come when the
Naval Conference must face squarely
the French tonnage figures and the
French point of view. The French
building program providing for 740,-
000-ton navy by 1943 was circulated to
the various delegations here last week.
The French point of view in addi-
ton, has been expressed within the
last few days to the British and Ameri-
can delegations in no unmistakabls
terms. This point of view can be
summed up thus:
If nothing is done here in the way
Of pacts to increase the general security,
| France sees no reason whatever why
in the five-year treaty now contem-
| plated, it should lessen it's building pro-
! gram in any respect. AS this program
includes minimum of IL big cruisers
and $4,000 tons in submarines, to &C
cept the French figures as presented,
would apparently make agreement here
| impossible, for neither Great Britain
nor Italy could possibly sign a treaty
on this basis.
Hold Pacts Sufficient.
| IlG S1lIlGIlCdLl5 anu are DOUIl
extremely reluctant to enter into new
security pactS. They consider the Lo-
carno treaties, the Kellogg pact and
the covenant Of the League of Nations
sufficient
| But in the face of the obvious French
| determination to continue building and
Of the excellent condition of the French
! budget which will easily promote this
building, both the British and the
American delegates grudgingly admit
| that, If necessary to save the confer
ence." they are willing to consider the
French pact proposals provided tonnage
| reductions obtained thereby are really
drastic.
Exactly what, then, do the French
want, and what is their argument?
1t can be stated positively that con-
versations of an informal character
have already taken place here between
the French and the British regarding
what tonnage France might accept If
some such combined feet arrangement
| as existed prior to 1914 could be re-
| newed. The French seem to have de-
clared that in this case they could
cease building Immediately and stand
on their present AIS, 900 tons.
The British, after due consideration,
seem to have replied that any such
| arrangement would be virtually an
alliance and out OF the question for
the time being.
The French now, therefore, have re-
turned to their original proposal of
two separate pacts-one, q Mediter-
ranean mutual aid pact signed by Great
Britain, France, Italy and Spain; the
other general convention providing
that signatories will confer in case Of
a threatened or actual breach of the
Kellogg pact
| The French argument, as presented
to the Americans, is as follows:
you in the United States have I'M
consciously and doubtless with the best
intentions done us great injury. BY
your great naval and financial strength
and your reluctance to say in advance
how you intend to use this strength in
case peace is broken, you have actually
paralyzed our battleship security, which
was article 16 of the covenant of the
League Of Nations providing for block
ade against an aggresSor. For block
ade implies a big navy and the only
european power with big navy is
Great Britain.
But Great Britain now admits
frankly that it will never be able to
undertake q blockade against an ag-
greSSor as long as the United States
insists on maintaining complete neu-
trality, for to do SO would almost in
evitably mean clash between the
British and the American navies and
the end of the British Empire.
Thus the United States now actually
holds the power Of veto, through Great
Britain, on the League of Nations es-
sentlal junction as q peace organization.
Obliged 70 Build.
1--WE, France, tins being unable to
rely on cooperation from the British
navy either under the Locarn6 agree
ment, which concerns only land from
tiers anyway, or under the League
covenant, are obliged to build a navy
OF our own. This navy in no sense is
directed against the United States or
Great Britain, but against a possible
alllance OF Germany and Italy against
us.
$50 long as the present international
political situation continues, we intend
to go right on building this navy. If,
however, you in the United States can
see your way clear to agreeing and con-
ferring under the kellogg pact some
what as you have agreed to confer I'M
| der the horsepower Pacific pact, this
would doubtless relieve the British of
much anxiety and enable Great Britain
to enter into the proposed Mediter-
ranean pact"
These words, spoken by the French to
the American delegates, are understood
to have made considerable impression.
In some circles it is now admitted that
1t is scarcely conceivable that the con-
| ference should come to q happy ending
unless it includes one or both OF these
pactS. The British and Americans hope,
however, to keep these engagements as
vague ana as general as possible.