The Washington times., 1926-07-07
..5. LOSES
Pl AN I 0
[N5AR|N
b GEORGE R. HOLMES

By GEORGE r. HOLMES
The international Preparatory
Commission which has been ste
ding in Geneva for weeks trying
20 evolve q basis for new
world disarmament conference
has utterly failed in its purpose,
and little that is beneficial to
The cause of disarmament can
now be expected from it. Kel-
Dogg's prediction that it would be
"a futile talldest" has proved
kTue.
Opinion is Official
This was the prevailing opinion
among washington officials today
after reviewing the results OF the
weeks of negotiations. and the pesst-
naistic reports Of Americas dele
gates. The commission has just
voted q recess for a month-over
the protest Of the American delega-
fion-and is scheduled to resume in
August.
So futile have the discussions
been that there has been talk OF
withdrawing the American dele
gates, but the action has not mater.
Ealized because President Coolidge
and his advisers decided that to do
80 would lay the United States open
to charges OF having wrecked the
conference"
Rather than be put in such a
position it was decided to maintain
the American delegation at Geneva,
even though Washington Is con-
WINGED that nothing very tangible
win come Of the proceedings.
France and her continental allies,
Poland, Belgium, Czechoslovakia
and others, have combined at every
opportunity to out-vote the United
states, Great Britain and Japan.
the chief naval powers at the con-
terence.
Through the votes of small coun-
tries. whose navies are either non-
existent or negligible, the basic
principles established in the Wash
tngton naval armament conference
have been overthrown.
The basis of comparison in naval
strength was established in the
Washington conference on. classes
Of ships, /. e., cruiser for cruiser,
HIGd0QduRlL IOE 01SduIIduSulB cue
Led by France, the Naval Com
mission at Geneva has refused to
accept this principle, voting instead
that total tonnage alone should be
considered a basis of comparison.
Thus, France could make her
hayy consist entirely of submarines
Il she so desired, and become an
kIl-powerfuI menace to- the British
and American navies, the backbone
BE which is the battleship.
The votes Of three European
kenerals from small countries de.
eided this basic issue in the COM
mission.
Similarly, the Military Commits
sion voted down the Americana Ger
nan.British proposal to make
trained reserves the basis Of COM
pairing military strength.
Almost every country in Con-
Sinental Europe has compulsory
military training and almost every
citizen is a trained soldier.
Neither Britain nor the United
States have compulsory training.
and Germany has been forbidden
70 have trained reservists.
The American delegates, headed
by Rear Admiral Hilary P. Jones
and Brig. Gen. Dennis Nolan. have
Riled minority reports to virtually
all the major decisions of the
committees, and have, in effect,
terved notice that the United States
will never consent to the prin-
eiples Of armament comparison set
M by the votes of these smaller
European countries.
Meanwhile. they are filing reg
ular reports to Washington, the
substance of which is that the
whole proceedings at Geneva have
become farcical.
IL was recalled today that when
Ambassador Houghton was in
washington last spring he made a
report TO President Coolidge and
Secretary of State kellogg that
Europe did not want to disarm.
ana that "the Geneva conference
will, be q futile talk-fest." This
report became public and created
xraak andisRation in Europa