The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-05-02
WAR CLOUDS
Pile HIGH ON
ASIAN HORIZON
Russia Deems Clash With
European Powers as
inevitable.
INDIA MAY BE COCKPIT
French and italian Naval
Dispute Presents
New Menace.
INDIA MAY BE COCKPIT
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
Scripps Howard Foreign Editor


WASHINGTON, May ITO the
tune of ominous rumblings in the
direction of Europe. and while
angry flashes of lightning zig-zag
across the storm clouds overhang-
ing Asia, President Hoover Thurs
day night submitted the London
naval treaty to the United States
senate and called for ratification.
simultaneously, the dispute be-
tween Italy and France over parity
has taken menacing turn. Eng
land soon may face the necessity
of exercising her option under the
new treaty authorizing her to
build more ships than the London
agreement calls for. thereby fore
ing the United States to follow
suit or forego parity.
Further complicating the situa-
ton, Russia is preparing fol what
she regards as inevitable war,
with one eye on England. while
India, already in full revolt, has
begun what observers declare will
be long, bloody and decisive
struggle for freedom.
MussOlini Answers France
Dictator Mussolini has lost no
time answering Frances refusal to
accept Italian parity. He just has
announced e. new building program
calling for the immediate laying
down of twenty-nine warships, in
GLIDING one 1O,000-ton cruiser, two
5,100-ton scout cruisers, four 1910
ton destroyers and submarines.
Coming at this time this carries
the ring of challenge and if France
accepts it as such, she will not be
long in taking it up. For to those
who we're in touch with the French
at London and Paris during the
naval conference, it instantly was
obvious that they are in deadly
earnest when they insist upon
24000-ton lead on the Italians. Cost
what it may, France at least will try
to maintain it.
Thus Is threatened a naval race
between the two Latin neighbors
which may have disastrous end
ing. At the very least, such a race
would knock the London treaty into
a cooked hat, SO far as tonnage
limitation figures among America,
Britain and Japan are concerned.
Forced to Build
BY forcing Britain to build, Amer
.ca and Japan necessarily would
have to do likewise, else accept po-
sitions vastly inferior to what they
demanded, and obtained, at the
conference.
Then Britain has India to con-
slider and, along with India, Russia.
Russia is known to be readying up
her forces for war as fast as ever
she can. She is convinced that
coalition is in preparation against
her, of which Poland likely will be
the spearhead, with Britain some
where in the van.
She charges her enemies with in
spring the religious crusade against
her as final, or semi-f1nal move to
crush her.
In this fanatical frame of mind,
will Russia wait for the attack
which she thoroughly believes is GER
tain to come? Or will she seek the
advantage by striking first? The
military history of Europe makes
this question perfectly logical and
pertinent. Certainly the British are
thinking of it, even now, as they
worry over India.
Opening for Russia
The closing of Khyber pass, be-
tween India and Afghanistan, can
be explained in hardly any other
way. Khyber pasS-some fifteen or
twenty miles from Peshawar, where
some of the worst outbreaks in the
Indian revolt have occurred and the
scene of a serious mutiny of native
troops-is Russia's gateway to India.
And while happenings in India
are in no wise of Communist ma
ture, being essentially a nationalist
drive for independence, Russia
might take advantage of the situa-
ton to settle a score with one OF
the strongest members of the feared
coalition.