It must be remembered that Mr. Britten is a partisan
of a strong naval programme, and has an interest in convincing his countrymen that a considerable building programme is necessary for their safety. On the other hand, it is deplorable that the manner in which Great Britain has handled the Anglo-French Naval proposal has given Mr. Britten a pretext for saying such things. We look now for a strong expression of feeling in the United States among those who see that the whole cause of disarmament is at stake. Englishmen of all parties are in earnest about substituting reason for war and about the need of limiting armaments as quickly as possible, and they ask for co-operation from America instead of an exaggeration of the British blunder. If, however, renewed Anglo-American discussions should be impossible Great Britain can do something. She can so limit her Navy, without clamour or explanation, as to prove that a competition with America simply does not enter into her thoughts. On Wednesday the Foreign Office denied the latest preposterous rumour that France and Great Britain had a secret air agreement. We hope that Americans will consider the possibility that certain nations have a definite policy of trying to divide the English-speaking world.
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