Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-01
PEACE PACT SEEN
OF GREAT WORTH
Briand-KeIIogg Treaty Held
of Immense Importance
at Naval Farley.
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.
BY Radio to The star and Chicago Da
News CopyriKht, 1871

News. CopyriEht, 1880.
LONDON, England February L.
Immensely important by general and
ungrudRing admission has been the
effect OF the Briand-Kellosg pact upon
the favorable course of the flve-power
Naval Conference from the day of its
opening. The pact outlaws aggressive
war. II makes, In consequence, any
preparation for such a war an implied
intention possibly to trample upon the
terms OF the pact. Absolutely nothing
thus far has developed at the confer
ence suggesting that in back of the
mind of any government represented
lies the idea of aggression or its part
in any contingency.
This is . conference, that is to say,
strictly in the spirit of the BRAND
Kellogg pact. The nations manifeStly
are preparing not for offense but for
defense. That is the greatest and inf
nitely the most encouraging fact about
the conference. How much store the
American Government, rs q sample, set
by the spirit rather than the technics
of naval discussions, came to light
when washington agreed to accept as
basis of negotiation the French pro-
posal for compromise fusion of the
rival theses Of naval limitation known
as the glObal and the categorical.
Concession Did Coed.
That American concession did a vast
deal of good. 1t tended TO disarm the
suspicion Of the smaller naval powers.
Great Britain, which, ike America and
Japan, had held tenaciously to the
categorical as opposed to the global
proposal for limitation of navies, also
went over partially to the French view,
e. IN,
rational suggestion, offered no oppoSi.
ton. These developments enhanced the
good feeling and confidence character
izing the conference and paved the way
for definite progress.
When the Latin nations came to
London, they came asking themselves
this question: rs the Briand-Kellogg
pact what 1t purports to bean inn
partial world peace treaty-or is it q
legal framework designed to perpetuate
the Anglo-American world dominance
inherent in sea supremacy"
Approximations latent in that question
have gone by the board. Every act of
the greatest naval powers since the
opening OF the conference has shown
their desire to eliminate any sort of
rudeness or bullying from international
relations and to grant all the powers
that same assurance Of adequate de-
Tense which they themselves are seeking.
Prevailing Assumption.
Whether the Briand-Kellogg pact will
be supplemented In any way at this
conference remains uncertain. At
present the spirit of the pact Is working
so powerfully and so well that some
delegates at any rate feel that any
attempt. to extend or reinforce 1t would
Be Superhuous.
The TarAua f1ino e That
threats against the pact are unlikely
and that treaty or convention pro-
Hiding for means of meeting such threats
therefore, at least not urgent In
my event, the conference Is fully and
closely occupied with the specific prob
lem for which it was called-naval
limitation and reduction-Rnd nothing
else win be considered until this prob
lem has been got. gut Of the way.
Alliances are opposed to our policy:
conferences ip the interests Of peace
are not" so spoke Charles Evans
Hughes last April before the American
Society Of International Law. He was
referring to what America might do to
supplement the Briand-Kellogg pact
There Is one notable lack in the insti-
buttons of peace" the former Secretary
Of State continued. THAT lack Is due
to Americas non-participation in an ef-
AOAk 10 ntdlAOAlu tt1Cs HCACG Oh the WOIl0
in case 1t is threatened by acts Of Pg-
erosion on the part Of any state which
Is party to the anti-war treaty"
Statement Of Policy.
Mr.. Hughes went on, his expert lis
teners showing clear indications of APP
proval: IF we were to support the
Permanent Court of International JUS
tice and If we were to supplement the
Kellogg pact by treaty for conference
ard consultation similar to the pacific
treaty should We not be taking entirely
practical steps for the building Of the
institutions of peace without violence to
any of our cherished traditions?"
Let that happen which may happen
ut the London Conference-treaty or no
treaty reinforcing the Briand-KellogR
pact-no threat to the effeetualness Of
that pact ever will pass unnOticed by
the President of the United States so
long as that high once is held by Her.
bert Hoover. The warranty for this
categoric statement is. FIRST, In the well
known character of the President and,
second, in the fact that on two occa-
sions already he has directed his Secre-
tary of State to remind the foreign
powers Of their obligations under that
agreement.