Evening star., 1935-06-13
ANGLO-RE|CH PACT
APPROVED BY u. S.
France, However, Is Ex-
pected to Fight Removal
of Naval Limits.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

The State Department has replied
to the British notification that an
agreement regarding the new naval
tonnage Of Germany has been reached
by fully approving the British step,
which does away with the limitations
imposed upon Germany by the treaty
Of Versailles and the German-Amer-
lean peace treaty of 1920.
The State Department which has
been kept fully informed about the
progress Of the German British nego-
tiations, has adopted the attitude that
the question of forbidding Germany
to build submarines and airplane car
riers is a purely European question,
and If the European nations find it
expedient to do away with those re-
strictions, so much the better.
The question of the naval race is
devided as far as this country is
concerned, into two separate groups:
The Atlantic and the Pacific problem.
The United States Is only mildly in
terested in the Atlantic problem. Its
chief interest is in the Pacific.
U. s. Hopes Race viii End.
Despite the trend of the political
situation, the State Department is
hoping against hope that some solu-
ton might be found this year to
enable the powers signatory of the
Washington and London naval agree
mens to meet again In an effort to
stop the naval race.
If. it is said IN responsible quarters,
one of the two main problems con-
corning naval competition can be
solved satisfactorily, so much the
better. Hence, If the British govern
ment, which is chiefly interested in
the Atlantic naval problem, thinks
that letting down the bars on Ger
many can bring about an understand
ing for a satisfactory solution Of the
European naval problem, the United
States will give unhesitatingly its
blessing. The fact that Germany
within the next five years will have
IS per cent of all the categories of the
British navy Is causing no concern to
the United States, as Germany Is not
considered likely to menace commerce
Of the United States.
In naval quarters doubt is expressed
as to the ability of Great Britain to
induce France to accept the German
British agreement.
France Is Expected to Object.
1t is pointed out that under the
planned ratio system France will have
a superiority which at the best will
be 80 per cent above the German
Navy and at the worst Is per cent.
1t is highly improbable that France
will be Satisfied with such a ratio.
From the strategic point Of view. the
French naval authorities consider this
proportion totally unsatisfactory. They
point cut that while Germany has n
limited field for the use of her navy
she Is concerned merely with the de-
tense of the Baltic Sea and has no
colonies-France's responsibilities are
almost as important as those Of Great
Britain She must keep forces in the
Atlantic and in the Mediterranean,
she must have SUFFICIENT craft to con-
voy transports from Northern Africa
to France, and she must take care of
her far flung empire. As long as Ger
many was limited, France considered
her present naval strength SUFFICIENT.
But with Germany having close 10
400,O0 tons-which will all be new
when her navy is completed-the
French $50, 900 tons are considered to-
tally inadequate.
Hence, It is expected here that
France not only will object to the
German British naval agreement, but
also will demand a much higher ratio
of warships at the next naval con-
ference.