News of the Week
Naval Reduction THE virtual agreement between Great Britain and the United States on naval reduction is one of the most important and encouraging facts of recent years. The Prime Minister and General Dawes have reached a formula which seems to ensure a double objective— parity and a reduction of building. The tonnage of the whole Fleets was surveyed. The question of battle- ships had already been settled at the Washington Con- ference of 1921. That question therefore did not trouble them much, though we welcome the report that General Dawes fell in with the special British wish to extend the lives of battleships and later to reduce their size. Enormous saving could be effected under these heads. The Prime Minister and General Dawes both felt that the discussion of destroyer andsubmarine tonnage must be left for the, greater part. to the hill Five-Power Conference, ;but there- is no doubt that America is in a mood to support the British desire to get submarines
