* A still greater reservation to the Three-Power Treaty is
the safeguarding clause, which gives each of the three Powers the right to increase its naval strength indefi- nitely if the building of some other Power should make such an increase necessary. Of course the Washington Treaty contained a similar safeguarding clause, but that, provided for a further conference. Under the new Treaty consultation would be diplomatic, not by means of a conference. As the Prime Minister said on Tuesday, there is very little danger that the safeguarding clause will ever be invoked. At first there was a tendency in the United States to complain that this clause really under- mined the whole parity settlement, but second thoughts prevailed in favour of the clause. The second thoughts were that if the United States did not accept the safe- guarding clause she- might find herself morally bound to help Great Britain if Great Britain were ever threatened and yet (as a result of the Treaty) could not build m: re ships to defend herself.
