Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-30
MACDONALD ISSUES
ARMS ULT|MATUM
Prime Minister of Britain
Calls on World to Fulfill
Cut Agreements.
BY Gable to The Star.

BY Gable to The Star.
LONDON, England, June 3O.-Great
Britain served formal notice on the
world last night that she had taken
the last step toward disarmament until
the other nations Of the world begin to
make good their solemn promises in the
treaty Of Versailles and Locarno and
begin reducing their ornaments pro-
portionately.
Ramsay MacDonald-the man whom
British sailors refused to transport to
Stockholm for peace conference"
during the World War because OF MS
pacitiSt tendencieShas the utmost sig
niIicanCe.
Pretty Near Limit.
Delivered before packed House Of
Commons during u full-dresS debate on
disarmament. the prime minister S
statement that Great Britain has gone
pretty near the limit Of disarmament
Wy exaInple" received the most enthu-
Siastic and the fullest support Of the
leaders vi all three British political
parties. II marks British ultimatum
and prelude 10 the forthcoming dis
armament conference and calls Tor u
SbtOAAE stiOW va
Mr.. Macdonald, IN carefully COM
piled tables. demonstrated that in all
branches OF defeESc Great Britain had
set All example Of drastic retrenchment.
while other countries had substantially
increased their expenditure.
We have already taken uncomfort-
able risks said Mr., Macdonald, I'm
the cause OF world peace"
Willing to Go Further
Yet, he added. Great Britain is pre-
pared " ~ even further toward re-
auctions II the forthcoming Geneva
conference achieves the success this
country is So ardently hoping for.
Great Britain, the prime minister
showed. had reduced her naval expen-
diture between 1914 and 1880 from
$3.50 U00.UU0 10 $262 900 600: France
from Sac 100000 10 $l2l 900. 500, and
Italy from s9l $4,000 10 $S4 500 900.
The United States increased its appro-
priationS from $2l0000.0O0 to $780,
700 900; japan increased hers from
$77 OOO 000 10 $l33000 900.
II should be pointed out that these
figures do not take into account the
relatives Of expenditures II the full
building programs are ever voted by
the different governments according TO
the agreements reached at the last
London naval conference, where Great
Britain WAS the only nation to diSarm.
AT that conference. IN commissioner
and serviceabe ships Great Britain
agreed 10 reduce her total tonnage by
~ 900 tons. The United States in
creased Its tonnage by at least l48 900.
Japan increased hers by nearly 10000
tons
u. 5. Program, SI5O. 900 .O0O.
II the full building programs Of the
London Naval Conference are carried
out. the United States yearly building
program. which at the time Of the Lon
don Conference was around $50 600 900.
will be Increased to at least $4,000
900 yearly for the next four years.
Great Britain's suggested bill would
make 1t 5000 900 900 a year or four
times the 1929 expenditure. Great
Britain would nearly double her con-
struction expenditure because she is
making heavy requirements for ships
built during the rush Of the war years
and becoming obsolete.
A feature should be pointed out
which also applies largely in the case
vi the United States. France, If she
built up 10 her proposed naval statute,
would instead of spending the $35. 000.-
900 necessary to keep her fleet at the
present. S(TchkIH1 Dc spending more
than SGT 100000. And Italy. II she
tried to break her neck financially to
get parity with France. would have
TO jump from $3l 500, 900 TO nearly
$50 900 900 u year.
The above figures were prepared at
the time VI the London Conference, and
were checked thoroughly by both Brit
LSh and American admlralS. who found
them conservative and they are still
the figures which Will have 10 be faced
al the forthcoming Disarmament Con-
ference
Army Cut S25, 1000. 900.
Mr. MacDonaldS figures for the
army, taken from the year l924-the
year when armies were being finally
stabilized from war to a peace basis
showed that Cheat Britain had reduced
In 1880 from 1925 100000 to 5000 0O0.-
000-a reduction OF SIS 900 900 France
had increased hers by Sl04 000, 900.
Italy increased by SIT 100000 The
United States increased by $78, 400 900.
The figures for air ornaments which.
it should be pointed out. take into &C
count the upkeep of airdromes and
grants to civil aviation, were taken
from the year 1929, when Great Bril-
tain first split of air force costs from
other forces. Comparative figures for
1880 show that Great Britain has in
creased her expenditures by only $l0,-
100000. France increased by 0,000,-
900. The United States increased by
$l00,000,000.
Copyright. 1879