Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-17
BY RAYMOND LESLIE BUELL..

On next Tuesday the delegates OF five
nations will assemble in the historic
royal gallery of the House OF Lords
In London. The five nations are the
United States, the British Empire,
japan, France and Italy.
Their purpose in meeting in LoTNdon
Is twofold-D to stop impending naval
rivalry, 90 to bring about real arma-
ment reduction, thus making possible
the lowering of taxes.
During 1929 the United States appro-
priated for its Navy nearly 1878 900 900,
in comparison with $274 1000, 900 appro-
priated by Great Britain. President
Hoover recently stated that unless a re-
duction agreement was reached at Lon
don the United States over the next six
years would be obliged to expend tho
sum Of 100000, 900 upon naval con-
struction. This sum represents more
than half the Federal income tax col
lected last year.
Must Safeguard Interests.
While the American Government
wishes to secure naval reduction, 1t also
wishes to safeguard the interests Of the
American people at home and abroad.
1t is willing to disarm only II other
nations are willing to do so. With the
possible exception of Great Britain, the
United States has become the strongest
financial and economic power IN the
world. 1t has population much larger
than that of any state in Europe, ex-
GLIDING Russia. Its foreign investments
reach the stupendous sum Of $15,000.-
equaled that OF the United Kingdom.
Branch factories Of American corpo-
rations are being established in nearly
every important country in the world
Although the United States Is more
self-suff1cient than many countries, its
factories rely upon many foreign sources
of supply.
The American business man imports
such minerals as asbestos. tin and
nickel. He imports such raw materials
as rubber and silk. The last World War
hampered American foreign trade seri-
ously, and Congress has resolved that in
order to protect our vast interests in
the event of another war the United
States should have Navy as large as
that of any other power. The United
States does not ask for naval supremacy;
it simply asks for parity" II the
forthcoming London conference Is to
be a complete success these two de-
mands for naval reduction and of parity
must be satisfied.
Britains Naval Policy.
At present the American Navy is
stronger than the combined navies of
all the nations of Europe, not includ-
ing Great Britain. The British Navy
Is however, still larger than that Of
British Empire supported the principle
of supremacy of the seas. The British
Empire contains one-quarter of the
population Of the globe. British col
cnies touch every water England must
import four-fifths of its food. Once
British communications are cut. the
people of England will starve and the
British Empire will fall apart. Conse-
ouently, the British people have re-
of the seas as matter Of self-preser-
walton.
Nevertheless, at the end Of the World
War. the British government came to
realize that the United States was rich
enough to outbuild any other govern
ment In naval race; and the British
people came to realize that because of
the cultural and historic ties between
the two countries war with the United
States was simply out of the question.
Consequently, at the Washington con-
ference, called by President Harding in
1921, the British Empire voluntarily
abandoned its historic principle of SUI
premacy Of the seas and accepted a
position OF parity with the United States
as far as battleships are concerned.
Unfortunately. however, the Washing
ton Conference failed to reach any
agreement limiting the tonnage of So
called auxiliary craft; that is, cruisers,
destroyers and submarines. Since 1922
the danger of naval competition be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States over unregulated auxiliary craft
has increased; particularly over the
large 10,000-ton cruisers. In 1924 Great
Britain. France, Japan all laid down
this new type Of vessel. The United
States authorized such construction
during the same year.
Would End Competition.
One Of the purposes Of the forthcom-
ing London Conference will be to bring
to an end this competition over cruiser
construction. Careful preparation for
this end has already been made. AS q
result Of the negotiations between the
American and British governments,
eliminating in the visit of Prime Min
lister Macdonald to President Hoover
last October. 1t has been tentatively