Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02
SENATE DECLARED BLOCK
TO CONFERENCE SUCCESS
French Crisis Caused by Fear of Anglo
American Pact to
Rule Sea.

should receive some new assurance
against German and italian dangers,
which she saw largely magnifled by the
obvious anti-French trend of the Brit
ish Labor Liberal policy. Producing her
program for 725,000 tons, she quite con-
sciously threw into the conference an
obstacle which seemd at once insur-
mountable.
Tardieu was ready for lower figures,
provided he got political treaty. Such
a treaty Britain was willing to give If
only the United States would Join
Thus, in the early days, while discus
| sionS were proceeding, there was gen.
eral god temper and optimism. because
| in the back of all minds was the belief
that a solution would be found in a
| political treaty.
Such treaty, satisfactory to France,
would carry out the Kellogg pact to the
extent Of providing that, in case of
threatened violation in the Atlantic
area, the five powers present at the
negotiations would agree to meet.
For Britain and France alike this
meant that in case of peril of war the
United States would sit down with the
other Atlantic powers, and would in
consequence be legally, if not morally.
bound, If war followed through the vio-
lent action of any power, to waive its
neutral rights and abandon any effort
to feed. munition or finance the ag-
gressor. Gone then would be the Brit
ish fear lest, if the British feet were
used In conformity with the covenant
OF the League to coerce an aggressor,
1t would encounter America. France
was freed from the nightmare of Anglo
| American support of Germany,
In return for such a pact, Tardieu
was ready to reduce the naval program
to proportions which would permit the
Anglo-American agreement to stand
and f1ve-power treaty could be drawn
based on the agreed figures for naval
construction for the next five years for
all hands.
u. S. Pact Entrance Necessary,
But obviously the test must be the
willingness of the United States to enter
such a pact in the face of traditional
opposition to any ENHANCEMENT, how
ever slight. That the Hoover delega-
ton was favorable was well known even
before the conference began. Accord
mgly, when the French figures had at
last been presented, there emerged from
patiently inspired English quarters an
invitation to America to save the con-
terence, which meant that the moment
had arrived to propose a pact. Con-
comitantly, the British foreign Office
announced that unless the French fig
ures were reduced, the Anglo-American
agreement was of, and the British
would have to build large amount of
new cruiser tonnage. In word, If the
United States wanted parity at the
Rapidan figure, she must pay by pact
carrying out the Kellogg treaty.
Then out of the blue Tardieu fell
from power and hard upon this came
the rising storm of protest in the United
States Senate against any form of po-
litical treaty whatever. This spelled in
slant disaster, because on the one hand
the French figures were now established
to heights beyond British acceptance
and with the disappearance of Tardieu,
reducing them would be difficult, while
on the other hand the hoped-for COM
pensation now seemed beyond attain
ment.
In this situation great danger lay in
the possibility on both sides of the
Channel that underlying, always immi-
nent. causes for misunderstanding
picion and dislike-would be Stimulat-
ed. that the British would begin an at
tack on the French naval program as
a threat to British security, and France
would see in Anglo American policy an
effort to coerce France into reducing
her feet without obtaining any new
guarantee Of security.
Senate Blocks Action.
This was the origin and development
and remains at present the status of
the French crisis. And it must be per-
ceived that what has made it difficult
has been not the unwillingness of any
nation to talk and act reasonably, but
the total impossibility of reconciling the
points of view Of the reasonable men of
three countries, for Britain and France
are equally entitled to look out for their
own security, and the right of the
United States to isolation cannot be
gainsaid If Stimson could, as he lad
obviously planned, step between quar-
reling neighbors and offer solution
equally welcome to each, success would
be easy. But at this moment any such
action seems almost completely blocked
by the Senate.
(ronvright 1880 !