Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31
RUPTURE EXPECTED
At OPEN SESSION IN
GENEVA TOMORROW
Showdown to Follow Failure
to. Obtain Temporary
Adjournment.
u. S. AND BRITISH VIEWS
ON CRUISERS FAR APART
Collapse of Conference Looked for
if Gibson and Bridgeman Make
Frank Statements.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
GENEVA, July 30.-The Tripartite
Naval Conference faces a showdown al
the plenary session scheduled for
Monday.
Efforts today TO obtain an adjourn
ment of six months or a wear in order
tn give the conferees time for further
reflection did not succeed and nothing
had been done tonight to prevent the
holding Of the plenary session Mon
day, which many persons fear NAV be
marked by statements from British
and American delegates of a nature to
provoke immediate rupture of the con-
ference.
In the meantime the British and
American viewpoints on methods OF
naval armament limitation remain as
far apart as ever, with indications
that unless the British grant the
American demand of complete liberty
To build secondary cruisers armed with
S-inch guns, within the limits of the
total cruisers tonnage to be fixed by
the conference, the negotiations arc
headed toward collapse.
British Agreement Not Expected.
There are no signs whatsoever. how
ever, that the British will agree to
such provision in the treaty, since
they feel that they must know definite
! " at this moment how many cruisers
with S-inch guns the United States
will build during the life of the treaty.
Furthermore, they hold that the num-
Der of these vessels should be limited
90 the lowest possible figure.
: Information in authoritative quar-
tiers tonight tended to show that
either Viscount Ishii or Admiral Saito
q of Japan would endeavor to mediate
TO the extent of urging w. c. Bridge
man, British delegate, and Hugh S.
Gibson. head Of the American delega-
ton, TO keep Mondays plenary ses-
sion within moderate bounds. Mr..
I Bridgeman may be asked to confine
his remarks TO an explanation of the
latest British plan and Mr.. Gibson
simply to explain why the Americans
could not accept the British scheme,
II they have definitely dscided that
they cannot.
According to reliable reports to.
night. the Americans consider the
British plan totally unacceptable and
hold the belief that nothing is 10 be
tions which appear 20 be foredogmed
TO failure.
Spectacular Session Probable.
. Nevertheless. it is believed that a
spectacular public session is likely
Monday, particularly If the British
inot only explain their plan. but also
criticize the demand of the Americans
for freedom TO build large size cruisers
and in q general way seek to put the
blame for failure Of the conference
upon the Americans.
Should this happen Mr.. Gibson IN.
doubtedly would reply in vigorous
terms, and it is this argumentative
duel, which many persons wish to
prevent on. the ground that it
threatens the immediate breaking
down Of the conference, that caused
the efforts today to adjourn the con
ference TO later date without hold
ing any plenary public session.
Since the plenary session seems
inevitable, it is likely also that the
japanese will make a statement on
that occasion. 1t is said that they
object to certain British proposals,
particularly the present plan for re-
tanning obsolete warships, and also
the clause permitting the transfer
warships 10 another.
Consider Temporary Adjournment.
An additional suggestion, which
received some consideration today,
was that after Mondays plenary SEES
sion the plenipotentiaries hold a
meeting, perhaps Tuesday, and de-
fernline whether any good could be
achieved by continuing the negotia-
fions a present ard whether ad-
journment should be taken until
some later date, the three delegations
then agreeing upon a common COM
Inunique TO be issued by the secre-
fsry general OF the conference.
British spokesman insist there still
is hope for agreement and British
delegates told friends today that they
certainly do not consider that Mon
DAYS session will mark the end OF
the conference.
1t is being asked therefore, whether
this British optimism does not imply
that. rather than permit the collapse
Of The conference. they would accept
the American proposal for the inser
ton OF a denunciation clause in the
treaty by which any signatory power
could Immediately denounce the
treaty il ii considered it's security
menaced by the naval construction
Of other powers
This clause was offered by MIR. Glib
son at the last private session or
condition that the British grant the
Americans freedom in building cruis
ers with elSht-inch guns. but Mr.
Bridgeman rejected II.