Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-04
Figure Would Be Minimum
Unless Security Pact
Is Concluded.
U. S. NOW URGES BRITISH
TO ENTER FRENCH PACT
Macdonald Appears to Be Willing,
but Cabinet and Admiralty
Flatly Oppose Plan.
BY PAUL SCOTT MowRER.

By PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.
BY wireless to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright, 1880.
LONDON, England, March 4.-The
writer Is reliably informed that the
French delegation will return to the
London Naval Conference Thursday
night prepared to reduce the French
tonnage claim from 726,0oO tons, which
is the figure of the Tardieu memoran-
dun, to an even 100000, but not a ton
lower unless some new security pact is
concluded which France may feel would
seriously Justify further cuts.
This new French figure would give
France ratio of virtually 20 per cent
of the 100000 tons each of Great
Britain and the United States, which is
the figure of our memorandum. Seven.
hundred thousand tons for France is
unacceptable to Great Britain, because
If Italy has parity with France then
France and Italy together would have
100000 tons, against Great Britain's
1900, 900, and the admiralty insists on
applying the two-power standard to
France and Italy.
Moreover, within the French figures
Great Britain objects to the French
claim of 10 modern 3-inch gun cruisers
and 100000 tons of submarines, so that
il the French reduction operated in
other than big cruisers and submarine
categories even a total of 100000 tons
for France would be unacceptable to
Great Britain.
Edge Called to London.
Some of the British and American
delegates still think that the French are
bluff1ng and are still unable to con-
ceive that the French may refuse to ac-
cept the tonnage figures Great Britain
and the United States imply they should
accept, unless they wish to incur the
reprobation of world opinion"
It is doubtless to try to correct this
impression that the French are bluff
ing that American Ambassador Walter
E. Edge came to London last night from
Paris with the intention of remaining
until the end Of the week. Mr.. Edge is
understood to believe that the United
States might consider the possibility of
making North Atlantic pact somewhat
on the model of the four-power Pacific
treaty to which we have been party
since 1922.
1t is thought that Ambassador Edge,
who himself has served long time in
the Senate, diSagrees with the views ex-
pressed in Washington and imposed on
the American delegation here that ac-
ceptance of any sort Of new pact by the
American Senate is out of the question.
But while our delegation refuses to
consider the possibility Of the United
States signing any new security pact
here, we by no means are averSe to
Great Britain's making such a pact with
France. Indeed, we are now urging the
British ito save the conference" by Civ
- ~ -
which France suggested in an earlier
note.
Macdonald Seems Willing.
Prime Minister Macdonald personally
appears willing to do this, but his cab
met and the admiralty fatty refuse. In
deed, this suggestion of ours, together
with our effort to hold the British to
the figures of the Rapidan agreement
between President Hoover and MFR. Mac
donald regardless of what France does
and our refusal to make a three-power
treaty with anything more than a res
erVation to confer in case France con-
tinues TO build beyond point the Brit
ISL can accept, seems to be arouslng
considerable resentment in inside Brit
1sh circles
British leaders are thus far unwilling
TO enter into any new pact without us.
=
50 doing they risk dangerous complica-
tons with the United States in case,
under some new pact, they are obliged
70 effect a naval blockade against pos
slole pact breaker, while the United
States, remaining neutral, wants to
trade as usual.
The British cabinet feels that our
program Of achieving both parity and
real reduction without entering any
form Of new security pact is illogical
The United States is the biggest,
strongest and safest power in the world, .
-tain members of the labor cabinet
are telling Mr.. Macdonald. They claim
and have been granted naval parity with
Great Britain, yet they refuse to accept
anything like parity In responsibility.
They are free with good advice to every
body, yet when it comes TO the real test
they always back out on the grounds
that their Senate cannot agree to any
thing. But If it is always the Senate the
foreign powers have TO deal with and
not the President. why does not the
United States appoint delegations of
Senators instead Of diplomats to nego-
tlste for it?"
To these criticisms Mr.. Macdonald
keeps replying patiently that Great Brit
ain should trust the United States. He
himself feels positive, he says, since
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