Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-16

"\HE excursion of Huge Gibson to
Paris and Rome has at the very
least served to re-establish in
Il the public mind the naval theses
of the various powers and to
emphasize the difficulties of bringing
about a general agreement which would
consolidate the results of the London
conference.
There are three of these theses OF
immediate Importance. Great Britain
insists that she must have q fleet equal
to the combined strength Of the two
greatest naval powers in Europe. France
demands fleet equal to the combined
strength of any two Continental states.
Italy demands parity with France.
Neither France nor Italy is In the least
concerned with the size of the British
feet, Just as the United States and
Japan are uninterested in the naval
strength Of France and Italy.
Great Britain is not directly affected
by the Franco-Italian dispute, save a
one detail. If France and Italy should
agree, which In practice means II
France should concede Italian parity
and the figures fixed for both were
equal to the French figures at London,
namely, $4,000 tons then the COM
bined fleets would be in excess Of the
British, and thus inconsistent with the
two-power standard.
France Will Not Lower Figure.
France will not in any case lower
this figure, for the simple reason tn :
even if she felt constrained to concede
theoretical parity to Italy her superior
financial strength would enable her to
build more ships. And the higher the
figure fixed the surer she would be to
maintain actual superiority while con-
ceding theoretical parity.
We come into the picture because, by
virtue Of the eScalator clause in the
treaty of London: Great Britain can
build in excess Of the figures OF the
agreement If and when the two-power
standard Is compromised. And the
rapid expansion Of French and Italian
fleets already foreshadows q time when
London must tell Washington that 1t
feels the margin of safety has been
endangered.
Indeed, it is a fair conjecture that
President Hoover sent Gibson on his
mission precisely because intimations
had come from London that unless
something were done to compose the
Franco-Italian mess and set limit to
the competitive building of these two
countries the escalator clause would
have to be invoked, and the United
states and Japan would be forced to
follow Britain In an additional building
program.
It was agreed at London in April that
France and Italy should renew their
conversations, which had failed to lead
to any result. And it was understood
that Britain would use her good ofhceS.
But these conversations have come to
nothing, and Britain, after repeated
efforts, has been unable to accomplish
anything. In that situation Macdonald
was bound to inform Hoover that the
limitations Of the London treaty were
endangered, and thus, at least by In
florence, invite the United States TO
take hand in the matter.
Conviction Confirmed.
At London the general impression
was that it would be impossible to per-
suade Italy to abandon her claim TO
parity, and the action Of the Fascist
Grand Council since then has confirmed
the earlier conviction. It was equally
clear last Spring that France would
never agree to any treaty giving Italy
even a shadow of a claim TO actual
parity. unless the British were prepared
to underwrite another Locarno, this
time Of the Mediterranean.
The Labor government was totally
unwilling to undertake such reSOon-
sibility unless the United States was
willing to agree to come into con-
stltative pact, which would commit US
to meet with the other naval powers in
case of any crisis threatening peace.
And the Senate Of the United States
made 1t very clear that no consultative
pact could possibly be ratified.
Since last Spring nothing has changed
In the actual situation of each OF the
parties in interest All the discussions
have taken the form Of an attempt to
find some formula that would satisfy
italian prestige without exciting french
apprehension. In a word, the search
has beer for some system by which
italy would have clear title to parity
and France q safe possession OF supe :
riority.
But while we have been interested
solely in bringing about q Franco-Ital-
ian adjustment, Britain has been con-
cerned about keeping the totals OF this
adjustment within the limits OF the
treaty of London on two-poTer basis.
Now it Is fairly clear that basically
Italy has precisely as much right 70
claim parity with France as France and
Britain have to demand their respective
two-power standards. And, when 1t
comes down to cases, each nation can
make pretty respectable case out for
It's national claim.
Only One Solution.
Practically, however, no one at Lon
don or since has been able TO discover
more than one real solution. And that
Is a Mediterranean Locarno. II the
British were willing TO agree TO defend
either Italy or France against any ag-
erosion, France, which Is only inter-
egted in maintaining the existing situa-