Evening star., 1927-02-16
Italian Refusal to Participate
Expected Today Close on
Heels of Frances Polite
DeCIination to Attend.
FURTHER ACTION AWAITS
LONDON-TOKIO ANSWERS
Britain's Readiness to Negotiate
May Be Affected by Others
Positions - Kellogg Believes
American Aims Misunderstood
Prestige of League Issue Raised
Rx the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
HOPES of the Washington Govern
ment for an effective naval limitation
conference have been Jolted severely
by polite rejection from france
and forecast that Italy also WI
decline to participate.
With the declination last night o.
France, the opinion here was tha'
Italy would accept, and still make
possible the gathering OF representa-
lives of a sufficient number OF ma
tions to bring practical results III the
limiting of ornaments not touched
upon at the Washington conference
A semi-official communique issued
in Rome today, however. announced
that Italy would follow the lead OF
France in demurring to the proposal
of President Coolidge for the confer
ence, leaving as matter OF conjec-
ture the next step OF the American
Government in seeking methods OF
obtaining the agreements it has
hoped for.
I6ntaJ1fe 1ido bVC3A
given to a possible four-power con-
ference. participated III by the
United States, Japan. Italy ana
Great Britain, even before the un-
favorable French reply was received
Britain May Change View.
Acceutances of the Coolidge inyi-
tation were considered as having
been assured from Japan and Great
Britain, but obviously the attitude
of Great Britain may now be affect-
ed by the position OF France ana
Italy.
For the moment it is unlikely that
any plan of action will be formulated
here in the absence of the British
and Japanese formal replies.
The French communication was
based on the main contention that
the American plan might compro-
mise the success of the preliminary
disarmament commission created by
the League of Nations. Whether lts
tenor has left room for hope tnas
fnrtber correspondence with Paris
might create a better understanding
of the American suggestions was no'
disclosed Secretary Kellogg prob
ahlv will defer decision in that re-
gard until the Italian reply Is pe-
fore him.
KeIiog Expresses Hope.
The statement issued by Mr.. Kel-
logg last night did not go beyond
expressing the hope or uitlmate
French agreement. The Italian note
NAV offer similar possibilities to the
official eve; but the immediate eHec'
of the Rome announcement is the
creation Of an added obstacle to any
proposal for limiting cruiser, de =
strover and submarine tonnage IN
accordance with the washington
treaty theory or of reconctiing thai
theory with French and ltallar
views.
Secretary Kellogg expressed the belief
that the Paris government has misun
derstood in several points the full pur
nose of the Presidents proposal. a
serious blow to the whole cause OF
disarmament" the Secretary of State
said, would result from the postpone
rnent TO the indefinite future OF al
efforts to grapple with the problem o.
competitive naval building
Not Opposed TO League.
Emphasizing his view that th'
Tinted States proposal did not con
f,ict with the Leagues armamen
mans. a. contended in the French
note, MIR Kellogg declared that Presi
dent Coolidge in his message of Feb
r,Iary 10 had signifed the intention o
this country to continue its partiCipa
tion in the Geneva arms conference
and will make every effort to con
tribute helpfully TO the final success
of the commission. Mr.. Coolidge's be
lief was that his proposal for tn
lighter naval craft limitation, he add
ed would be a distinct contributor
10 the League commissions success.
All the navies in the world are in
terested I'm the limitation of iiGhte
vessels. the foreign note said, and, un
like the Washington conference e
1921 dealing with capital ships, tn
new proposal should not he limited t
a few powers Further. as the Leagu
is committed TO the principle of ger
eraI armament limitation and place
all nations. small and large, on a basi
of equality. the French governmer
incIines to the view that it would nc
remain true TO the League principle
If it entered q. limitation negotiatio
of a few selected large powers.
While the Paris note contended tha
"one cannot undertake to limit nav:
arnaments without taking into col
sideration the solutions proposed fc
land and air armaments' Mr.. Ke
I0EZ uIu ilol eIldtE lIiI5 tlSNDOln
naval, land and air disarmament al
TO be considered he said. ''as or
problem applying TO all the natior
of the world solution will hardly /
reached for years to come
Kellogg Sees No Interference.
at is true that article S of tn
covenant intrusted the problem of di
armament to the League" Mr. kt
1ogg added. Nothing was done, no,
ever. except at the Washington co
ference. The limitation of nav
armament is concrete propositio
applying to the five powers. and ca
he disposed OF at the Geneva confe
ence without interfering at all wit
the work and without in any w;
binding other powers.
The French note, couched III poll
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