Sea Dogs

Navy men in Washington, London and Tokyo all think, of course, that it is their navy which has been "sold out by the London Treaty." Last week British sea-dogs joined with those of the U. S. and Japan in baying their alarm. In the House of Lords bayed two of the very shaggiest and saltiest sea lords:

John Rushworth Jellicoe, 70, Earl Jellicoe, Viscount Brocas of Southampton, Viscount Jellicoe of Scapa, commander of the British Grand Fleet (1914-16), later first sea lord, Admiral of the Fleet and governor-general of New Zealand (1920-24), demanded to know why the thousands of British workers who sit idle receiving the unemployment dole should not be made to work for this money building battleships. "Treaties do not of themselves always give security and safety," he cried. "In the view of one who has been responsible for Great Britain's security in critical days, that security is gone! . . . I am anxious to know the reasons which have induced the Admiralty and the Government to cut down the number of our cruisers from 70 to 50!"

David Beatty, 59, Admiral of the Fleet, Earl Beatty of the North Sea and of Brooksby, Viscount Borodale of Wexford, son-in-law of the late Chicago drygoods tycoon Marshall Field Sr., commander of the 1st battle cruiser squadron in the Battle of Jutland (May 31, 1916), Lord Rector of Edinburgh University (1917), said: "We are about to commit the great appalling blunder of signing away the sea power by which the British Empire came into being and is maintained today. . . . The most enlightened sea officers with whom I talked have condemned the Treaty absolutely as one which will render the navy impotent and incapable of performing the services for which it existed.

"I pray that the Treaty may even now be rejected."

Responding for the MacDonald Government, Labor Lord Parmoor dryly observed : "I do not think any legislation in connection with the Treaty is necessary except ratification, and. ratification will not come before this House [but before the House of Commons]."

Wired Hearst Correspondent William P. Flythe from Washington: "In highly confidential naval circles, where admirals may not talk for publication, it was said the two statements from Great Britain were only propaganda to influence the United States Senate and obtain American ratification of the pact."

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