Evening star., 1932-10-09
FRANCE ANDBRITAINREADY
TO BLOCK i. s. ARMS PLAN
Will Postpone Any Conference Action
Until Outcome of American Presi-
dental Election Is Known.

| french lIlSlSI Illdl dll dliiy VI tiiC pico-
ent number of divisions, based upon
universal conscription and a one-year
service, Is the minimum OF safety.
British naval policy. based upon two
power naval standard is paralleled by
| French founded upon a similar two
power military stand. Thus, while the
| British measure their naval strength by
! that Of France and Italy. France cal
culates her military force in terms Of
Germany and Italy.
British French Accord Seen.
AS things stand in Europe today, not
only Is there no French desire to see
I the British fleet reduced, but actually
there is hope that it will be main
tanned at its present level As far back
as the London Naval Conference. Tar
dieu, in talking to me of the British
fleet, voiced French regret that it
was to be brought down even to the
Rapidan figures. Moreover. British de-
sire to see the French Army reduced
Is now largely restricted to Labor and
Liberal circles. More and more the
German events are reconciling the
present British government to French
military supremacy.
Even when the Hoover proposal was
first made. the British and French at
oClicFd SlOOu together Ill quiet CppO-
sitlon and in the Benes report, which
summed up the first phase of the con-
ference, the Hoover proposal was praised
in the preamble and ignored in the
program set forth. And still more re-
Gently British and French cooperation
assured the passing over Of this proposal
when the Standing Committee of the
Arms Conference met in Geneva.
If the Arms Conference does reas-
semble, it is safe to forecast that British
and French representatives. backed by
the statesmen of the countries allied
with France and supported by Japan,
II Japan still remains in the League
will continue to oppose all practical ap-
plication of the Hoover proposal since.
for all. it runs counter to national views
of security But with the debt nego-
tiations in sight. it is almost inevitable
that the European statesmen will en-
deavor to postpone all action at Geneva,
already difficult because of German abb
sence and actually impossible If Japan
retires from the League.
Will Urge Cut in Costs.
Meantime. the British are bound to
, meet their domestic demand for reduc-
ton of armaments by proposing a plan
of cheapening the costs of construction
units. As for the French, they will un-
dertake to satisfy a similar domestic
demand by outlining military reduc-
tions which they are ready to make,
provided the United States and Britain
will extend the field of their interna-
tional activity by some form of imple-
menting of the Kellogg pact. But for
all practical purposes, the British and
French will continue to work together
and against any literal application Of
the Hoover proposal.
This Anglo-French attitude does not
represent any hostility to the principle
OF limitation Of armamentS nor any
| lack Of desire to escape the burdens Of
armament costs. 1t is, on the contrary.
one more evidence of the extent to
which different physical conditions die
tate varying solutions Of common
problem. Thus it may be fairly claimed
for the British theory of economy by
reduction of size and armament, that
! it would produce as great an actual
saving as the American idea Of econ
omy by mathematical reduction, at least
in the end, If not Immediately. But 1t
would also destroy the efficiency Of the
American fleet to perform its necessary
tasks, at least in the view of the Amer
| ican naval experts. And, of course,
the British admiralty takes the same
view Of the American proposals.
| AS the situation stands today, the
fate of the Hoover proposals is in the
hands of the British admiralty, whose
views will be accepted by the present
Tory majority in the House Of Com
mons If, as seems certain, the ad-
miralty continues to veto those pro-
posals as they apply to naval arma-
ments. then it will be impossible for
British representatives at the Arms
Conference to advocate their applica-
tion to military forces. and France and
Britain will continue to stand together.
American Elections Awaited.
The single difference between the
British and French points Of view lies
in the fact that, while the French have
at all times been ready to reduce their
military establishments in return for
British and American guarantees of
| French security, the British have at no
time made their naval strength condi-
tional upon either American or French
political undertakings. Thus, while
agreement to implement the pact of
Paris might aid in bringing about mill
tary reduction, it would have no effect
upon naval.
But beyond the question of British
and French policy as it affects the Hoo
yer proposals, there is rising the larger
issue provoked by German and Japa-
nese action. Germany already is out of
the Arms Conference, Italy continues
to threaten to retire if German de-
mands go unsatisfied, Japan may quit
the League altogether following the
publication Of the Lytton report and is
certain, in view of her resentment of
American policy In the matter of Man.
churia, TO oppose all American propo-
sails without regard to their nature.
Without the cooperation of Japan.
Germany and Italy. an Arms Confer
ence not only could not function use
fully, but also could hardly undertake
to convene.
When the committee of the Arms
Conference adjourned to October 10, 1t
automatically postponed the reconven-
ing Of the conference itself to Novem-
Der 10, for a months notice is re-
quired. The obvious intent of this
course was to avoid action until after
the American election. If Hoover
should be reelected, then the debt
question would give the President a
means OF procuring reassembling of
the Arms Conference. Should he be
beaten, OH the other hand, then both
debts and disarmament almost newt
ably would have to await the arrival of
Roosevelt and the Arms Conference
probably would stand in recess.
Save for the insistence of the Amer
lean President. the Arms Conference
PROBABLY never would have convened at
all; but for his Intervention in June ii
would nave adjourned confessing fail
L. y l.