Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18
British Political Reaction
to the New Naval Treaty
ny A. q. GARDINER,

EnGlands Greatest biberal Goltors
LONDON, May 17.-Premier Mac
donald's first formal statement to Par
lament, Thursday, on the results Of the
naval conference, was modest and re-
strained. His basic test Of the measure
Of success achieved was not whether one
country had scored at the expense OF
another In view Of war. but how far the
treaty made war less likely.
without claiming more than that very
good preparatory work had been done,
he carried the House with him In stress
ing two achievements: first, the treaty
with America, without which no treaty
would have been possible; and, second,
the actual agreement, covering all
classes Of ships, between America,
Great Britain and Japan. On this
foundation, two things were secured-an
enormous saving in contemplated ex-
penditure and a breathing spell for six
years In which to consolidate gains and
prepare for the next step.
4 4
The prospects Of that next step being
taken depends upon the possibility, In
the interval, of q naval understanding
between France and Italy, converting
the three-power into q hve-power
agreement, and the embodiment Of a
comprehensive disarmament treaty,
covering both land and sea.
On this subject, the Macdonald
speech was marked by reserve, and
significance attaches to that passage
In his speech in which he contrasted
the readiness Of nations to sign peace
pacts with their unreadiness to trans
late those pacts into practical disarrna-
ment. His statement that the nations
were falling back into the old men
tally regarding security was much
commented upon. Obviously, he meant
that the old conception OF peace as
still dominating the conception Of peace
as sustained by civilized pacific agree
ment.
There Is q disposition to regard his
grave warning Of the pertls Of this
backsliding as addressed to France,
whose military alliances are, as the
Manchester Guardian observes, q prac-
tical reputation Of the letter as well as
the spirit Of the League Of Nations
covenant and then peace pacts and
whose attitude at London was the main
cause Of the only partial success OF the
conference.
But that the lions in the path are
not exclusively continental was demon
Strated in the debate which followed,
especially by the reckless speech Of
Winston Churchill, whose share in help
ing wreck Lord Cecil's effort to secure
q disarmament treaty at the Coolidge
conference in Geneva in 1927 is no.
torious. He attacked the present treaty
in unmeasured terms and pictured the
terrible consequences which would ensue
from formal acceptance by Great
Britain Of definitely inferior sea power"
It Is pointed out that on the pre-
vious day Senator Robinson Of Indiana
had attacked the treaty in the Senate
with equal vehemences on the ground
that 1t was Great Britain who had
scored on America.
r 4
The futility Of these statistical Jug
glings Is recognized here, for the whole
basis of the understanding Is America
and Great Britain rule out war be-
tween each other. without that as
sumption, no treaty would have been
possible. With that assumption parity
discussions are academic.
But Mr.. Churchill very effectively
destroyed himself by the terrific faux
pas of reading q cabinet communica-
ton to Lord Balfour during the Wash
ington conference His reason for this
outrage upon the sanctities of public life
Is assumed to be q desire to put Lloyd
George, then prime minister and now
supporting the government policy, into
a difficult position. But whatever his
calculation, his bolt recoiled on him.
self with disastrous effect. The whole
House. reg$JdlesS Of party, resented this
offense against oficial decorum which