Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02
DELEGATES COLD
TO HINT TO LEAVE.
Suggestion of Senator Nc.
KeIIar Held as Falling
Upon Deaf Ears.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE,
Stan Correspondent Of The star.

By RADIO 70 The star.
LONDON, March SENATOR Nc
Kellar's invitation to the American
delegation to come home and call it quits
at the Naval Conference falls on deaf
ears Even the TennesSean's Official
leader on Capitol HILL" Senator Robin
son of Arkansas. shares the views that
no occasion whatever exists for throw
ing UP the sponge in any spirit of de-
feat. Secretary Stin1son and his as
sociates reaflrn1 at the end of six weeks
in London that they are enlisted for
the full duration of this peaceful war,
no matter how long il lasts. If the
white flag is hoisted it will have to be
from some other quarter than the
American delegations. This remains
perhaps the most positive factor in an
otherwise negative situation.
The British position is almost as
tenacious. The Japanese attitude Is
virtually, though somewhat less en-
Enthusiastically, the same.
Altogether the determination of the
three leading naval powers is such that
none of them is ready to countenance
the fear that the conference doom is
sealed. All of them, owing to the time
lost through the French political crisis,
have had to revise their estimate of the
probable date when the parley will end.
The last week in March is now the
popular guess. Otherwise it can be
stated with complete candor that the
confidence in some kind of substantial
treaty is unimpaired This coming week
should stimulate or undermine that
confidence.
France Holds Wand.
As from the outset of the confer
ence's fluctuations, France holds the
magic wand. In whichever direction
Tardieu waves it on his return to the
London Conference, the scales will turn.
Rigid maintenance of the French pro-
gram of 724,000 tons or the equivalent
in security guarantees will automatically
be the death warrant of q fve-power
treaty. That would be a failure of the
frst magnitude from the conferences
standpoint, but would not wreck 1t. It
would necessitate and eventually pro-
duce q tripartite pact, on which
America, Great Britain and Japan are
undoubtedly prepared to negotiate, If
there Is no other way out.
The framework for such an agree
ment Is set up. It Is for France to say
whether it shall be transformed from q
plan into a fact. The American dele
cation does not appear to be alarmed
by any fears that the Senate would
fail to ratify three-power treaty. No
such refusal was threatened at the time
"a VIZ ('COAAA8C SOAAAS4CAACC "a AdC1Cfh
in 1927, which was convened and met
under tripartite auspices.
Sttmson's efforts viii be expended as
long as they have any purpose IN be-
half OF five-power agreement, but no
longer. This is not publicly pro-
claimed policy of the American dele
cations, but it Is known to be its pri-
vate opinion and intention.
Withstands Attacks.
There have been some domestic
British political developments in the
past week which may influence Tardieu's
impending maneuvers In London. The
stood two shocks. One was a narrow
escape by eight votes In the House Of
Commons division on the. coal bill-a
proposition TO Nrationalizer a demoral-
i7ad mining industry The other shock
was violent attack on the govern
ston Churchill in a speech before the
Navy League. As to the coal bill, not
even Macdonald's bitterest enemies sug-
gested that he would have to resiTn
even If the bin had been defeated. As
to Churchill's TRADE, only the die-hard,
big-navy, nti-An1erican and Tory group
1denttned itself with his view, that the
government is betraying the country in
accepting naval parity with the United
States on the basis Of so cruisers of all
sizes.
The importance Of all this Is the
hight it throws on the French thesis
tnat Macdonalds political status Is so
uncertain that BritAin's conference
position has only to be resisted long
enough before it will give way through
It's own weakness. Another Of strange
arguments now finding utterance as
well a. belief in France, Is that John
Bun : practically broke. The idea is
that he knows he couldn't afford both
parity With Uncle Sam and a two
power naval standard with respect to
Europe. Therefore, as the French
argue. If they keep on crowding the
British hard enough for q Mediter-
ranean-Locarno pact, Britain will yield
In the long run, because such a pact
would be cheaper than cruisers.
Willing to Back Navy.
The truth is that John Bull is far
from broke. The truth is their navy.
when all is said and done, is one thing
the British people are willing to bank
rupt themselves for in case of need.
The humblest man in the street will
tell you that. The Star correspondent
has heard 1t a dozen times during his
stay in London-that throbbing mael-
strom Of contradictions and inconsist-
encies which pretends to take not the
slightest interest in the conference, but
whose broad back stiffens instantly at
the thought of an inadequate British
navy.
Tardieu is said to reckon that when
Philip Snowden, chancellor of the ex-
chequer, brings in his maiden budget
during the next few weeks the bril-
liant Labor watchdog of the British
treasury-ardent pacifcist that he is
viii proclaim Britain's inability any
longer to finance great navy.
If SnOWden were IN ASH paFifar nAnf
20 adopt a budget based on such a
theory, the Labor party would be
thrown out of office as soon as the
roll could be called in the House Of
Commons.
II Tardieu really thinks that Britain
Is in any other mood, he Is q far bigger
fool than any one in the Naval Con-
ference thinks he Is