Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-07-08
BALDWIN PROPOSAL
D|SAPPO|NTS u. S.
British Trying to Change
i ParIey's Entire Aspect,
Washington Feels.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

today in the State department. IeBaIu-
ing the British counter proposals to the
Hoover armament reduction plan, I'M
officially it was admitted that Stanley
BaIdwin's statement of yesterday was
disappointing.
After a careful analysis, 1t is SAID
that the British acting premier is en-
deavoring to change the entire aspect
of the arms parley and revert the Sit
uation between Great Britain and the
United States to where it was during
the Naval Conference at Geneva IN
1924 situation which nobody in TINS
country can possibly accept.
1t seems that Mr.. Baldwin, who has
made his statement in the most Tory
Parliament Britain has had in the last
few VI ars, has lost completely sight OF
President Hoover's conception Of arms
reductions"
Two Fundamental Ideas.
When the President encouraged last
wear the lea of holding disarmament
conference, and last week declded 10
trv To end the deadlock which has pre-
vailed at Geneva since the openlng OF
that conference he had two funoa-
mental ideas in his mind. First Of all.
he wanted the nations Of the world TO
agree to a substantial cut in all their
ornaments in order to bring immediate
relief to the hard-pressed treasures
second. he wanted by an aI-round re-
duction of arms on land, In the air ana
on the sec TO minimize the dangers OF
another war.
It is on the assumption that the
other nations understood fully the aims
fSfTQf1On
this country agreed to send an 1mpor-
tant delegation to Geneva.
II appears that the British, at least,
have misunderstood the American aims.
Mr. Baldwin, it is said in well-in-
formed quarters is endeavoTing TO sep
arate the land problems from the naval
and air problems, and While perfume
torily he says that all bombing from
the air of regions where civilians i've
must be prohibited, he lays stress,
through his spokesman at Geneva, on
the Importance of holding another
naval conference precursory to the gen
eral arms conference to be held after
th adjournment of the present one
Not in U. S. Scheme.
This does not enter into the scheme
of the American Government. Secre-
tary Stimson has stated that TINS couh-
less there is a decision 1or general
reduction of ornaments
Furthermore, the British plan does
mot propose the reduction of the f1ghtlng
value of the navies. 1t merely wants
reduction of the size of the capital SHIPS
and cruisers and the abolition OF SUD
marines. The proposal Of reducing the
size of the battleships does not entail
any immediate savings, as Presloene
Hoover had suggested. In accoroance
with the London naval treaty, the ques-
tion of battleships will come up again
only in 1885, when the leading naval
mowers will contemplate resuming the
3 construction of that type OF vessel.
reduction of the present tonnage OF
10000 tons to the proposed 22,OoO IONS
and a reduction of the caliber OF the
guns from Is or Is inches to II lncnes
cannot be put into force beIore 1900
Consequently the British proposal, from
that point Of view OF saving, Is mercy
a gesture which might have its value
four years hence, but not today, When
the world needs immediate financial
relief. A.,
The reduction in the size and the
armament of cruisers is equally I'M
acceptable to this country.
Ever since the question of the Anglo
American naval rivalry became an m
ternational issue. the British admiralty
has been endeavoring to obtain our con-
sent tn reduce the size of that type OF
war craft. We have opposed 1t be-
cause. today. American trade covers as
much territory as the British, and the
roint of view of the various American
administrations has been that this
trade must be adequately protected by
a navy.
U. S. Lacks Naval Bases.
Since the United States does not
possess any naval bases and the British
have them scattered all over the world,
the American Government has agreed
with the American naval experts that
only vessels with great cruising raolus
are useful to this country and reduc-
ton of the American cruisers from TO-
600 tons to 60e0 tons cannot be ac-
ceptable to the United States.
1t was hoped in administration circles
that this entire controversy regarding
the type Of ships best fitted for the
individual needs of each country had
been finally buried when the London
naval agreement Of 1880 had been
signed and ratified. 1t is now matter
of serious disappointment in official
quarters that this question should be
revived by the spokesman OF the British
government.
President Hoover had suggested an
important all-round slash IN arms OF
all kind with the hope Of relieving the
financial burdens of the world. He was
willing to compromise on further
slash in the American naval forces only
on condition that the primary cause
of international friction-land arma-
ments-should be drastically dealt with.
The British proposal means, at its best,
certain reductions in expenses in dls-
financial
needed Immediately.
Thought Proposal Untimely.
Certain American high officials here
and abroad, had foreseen that the
Presidents concrete proposal Of 80
per cent arms slash might cause such
complications and questioned the in
ACCESSIBILITY Of making such concrete
proposals at the present time. Some
felt that British would take advantage
Of the situation and try again TO reduce
the size of the American ships Others
were suspicious Of japan and thought
the japanese government would try and
use the Presidents o. oD0ats 10 obtain
the parity with flA- Ulslted States which
had been denied them in the previous
naval conferences of 1922 and 1880.
Others finally believed that such pro-
posal would be absolutely unacceptable
10 FIdtCE anu as q consequence tlAC
relations between the two countries
would become strained again.
The President, however, thought that
in spite of al these risks something
constructive must be laid before the
deadlocked conference in order to pre-
vent an adjournment, which would be
interpreted as a failure. He is said to
have realized that MS proposals would
not be accepted in full. but was con-
WINGED that there were enough concrete
suggestions in them to induce the in
terested powers TO adopt them as a
basis for further discussions. 1t is still
believed in official quarters that in spite
OF the inevitable setbacks, which are
bound TO occur when each power begins
m y1reSant m fhe World it's nUn mint