Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-09
FARLEY COLLAPSE
LOOMS IF BRITISH
INSIST ON DEMAND
Tension Increases Despite
Hope of 0ptimists for
! Cruiser Compromise.
U. S. AND JAPAN OFFER
TO TALK CAPITAL SHIPS
First Lord Defends Plea for Brit
aims Security-Japanese Favor
j General Reduction.
By the Associated Press.

BY the AsSOclateu Fress.
GENEVA, July 9.-Collapse OF the
naval reduction conference loomed TO-
day as a possibility for next week un'
less Great Britain consents to make
a substantial reduction in the total
tonnage Of cruisers on which she now
is insisting-something like 600,oOO
tons.
The tension has been steadily In
creas.ng. although the more optll.. sue
have held to the belief that luton
of the cruiser problem would be found.
When the Americans recently an
nounced a disposition to go as high
as 100000 tons-100,000 more than
their original proposals, w. c. Bridge.
man, first lord of the British admiral
ty, it is understood, told the Ameri-
c. that the British considered this
an ultimatum.
mo progress has been made" Ad-
miral Viscount Saito of Japan told
the Associated Press as he emerged at
noon today from meeting OF the
executive committee Of the tripartlte
naval conference. The japanese dele.
gate appeared extremely downcast.
Would Discuss Capital Ships.
Both the United States and Japan
would be willing to have the question
Of capital ships, which was raised by
Great Britain, taken up at the trl'
partite naval conference on the con-
dition that agreement Is first reacneo
with regard to auxiliary craft. 1t was
indicated in commun1que issued
after today's meeting of the executive
committee.
The communique reveals that the
japanese delegation, after preiimi'
nary discussion of the cruiser queS'
ton. made the following statement:
'"The British proposal presents va.
rious technical problems on some or
which the Japanese government is un'
able to express it's views without ma
ture consideration. They (the Japa'
nese government are at the same time
of the opinion that the matter might
with profit be taken up at the pres
ent conference with the view OF arriv-
ing at some kind of understanding as
regard capital ships. Care should. how |
ever. be exercised in handling the ques.
ton so thateit may not be allowed to
stand in the way of the principal OBJ
ject of the present conference-th
limitation of auxiliary naval arma'
Ynent. 1t would therefore be advisable
that the question of capital ships be
held up until an agreement shall have
been reached with regard to auxiliary
vessels"
Gibson Issues Statement.
Hugh Gibson, head of the American
delegation, in behalf of his colleagues.
then issued the following statement:
"The American Government has
the proposals submitted in behalf of
the British Empire delegation with
respect to the size and replacement
age of capital ships and aircraft car
rierS.
II take great pleasure in informing
Mr.. Bridgeman (W G.. Bridgeman,
head of the British delegatiOn) that
we will raise no objection to an in
formal exchange of views with respect
to these proposals in case we are sue
cessful in reaching an agreement with
regard to auxiliary craft ana a1ter
such agreement has been reached.
"It is our desire that such an ex.
change of views should not be Of
character to prejudice the decisions to
be taken at the 1881 conference by
any OF the powers, but should be
rather of a nature to elicit informa-
ton with respect to the British pro-
Dosals to enable our governments TO
give these proposals thorough ana IN
telligent study.
Would Recommend Program.
'I should further be disposed to
recommend, in the event or the sue
cessful conclusion Of our other work.
that this conference adopt reSolu-
ton laying these proposals before the
governments Of the powers which are
parties to the Washington treaties,
and that the conference should fur-
ther recommend that, If agreeable TO
all the signatory powers, the 1881
conference should be held early in
1881 rather than in August in order
to give ample time to determine the
effects of any decision reached by the
conference with regard to the capital
ship replacement program, which be- |
gins in November Of that year..
The British delegation. the com.
munique concludes, made reserva-
ton after hearing Mr.. Gibson that
they could not consider themselves
bound not to raise the question during
the conference even if complete agree
ment should not be reached on all
other points"
The commun:que, on the vital cruiser
Issue, merely says Lli1I NASSuOoAoiAs0
Of the cruiser question were begun and
suggestions We're made which will be
given further consideration"
Next Session Monday.
The next plenary session, the COM
munique says, will he held at o'clock
Monday in the large hall OF the Hotel
Des Bergues, instead OF in the famous
classroom of the League OF Nations
secretariat. where the opening meet
ing was held. This latter room is now
being occupied by the sessions or one
of the Leagues own conferences.
At Yesterdays meeting or the exec
utive committee, Mr.. Bridgeman, who
presided insisted on the convocation
OF a plcnary session Monday to have
an opportunity Of publicly presenting
the British position with regard to
cruisers and Of asking few 'ues-
. tions about the American position. he
is reported TO have referred to lies
in the newspapers concerning the Brit
ish attitude, but quickly changed the
word to "lnisre representations"
Mfr. Bridgemans broadside against
the stand Of the United States on the
method of reducing the total tonnage
Of cruisers and his hint that the
United States was out after construc'
! ton of an aggressive" type of cruiser,
failed to provoke return fire from the
: American delegations headquarters.
From Hugh S. Gibson down, the
, American delegates refused to be
drawn into comment on the first lord y
Darrage.
Although Mr. Cfhs0n has not vet