Evening star., 1927-04-11
Lord Cecil Says Plan Leaves
Door to Competition
Wide Open.
GIBSON ACTS TO AVERT
COLLAPSE OF PARLEY
Denies U. S. Seeks to Prejudice
Conference by Proposed
3-Power Meeting.

/
GENEVA, April 11.-Great Britain.
through Viscount Cecil. announced at
the opening of the disarmament par
ley today that it was unable to accept
the French proposals regarding limi.
tation of naval armaments. The
Italian representative intimated his
country could not support the pro.
posals.
With the preliminary meeting IN
danger of collapse, Hugh Gibson in
tervened in the debate today for the
purpose of removing any impression
that the United States, in proposing
a three-power conference, sought 10
prejudice the general disarmament
conference.
Mr.. Gibson said President Coolidge
had made it clear that the United
States wanted if possible, to reach a
general agreement; falling this, she
wanted to attain a limited agreement
with the hope that this would lead the
way to a general accord.
The French plan, copies of which
were distributed among the other dele
gates to the preliminary conference
drawing up an agenda for an inter
vides for three columns of figures
total tonnage necessary for a given
cOuntry'S security, total tonnage the
country expects to reach or build dur
ing the period of the limitation treaty
and total tonnage in categories of war
ships. These categories would be bat
tleships, aircraft carriers. surface craft
not exceeding 10000 tons Qncluding
cruisers and torpedo boats) and sub.
marines.
Modification Permitted.
1t is specified in the proposal that
each country may modify the alloca-
tiOns of it's total tonnage at any time
provided the League Of Nations was
notified one year before the laying
down Of the heels of warships whose
construction would involve shifting
from the general program originally
announced.
Another important provision is that
countries be empowered to distribute
tonnage among the four categories
mentioned or only among such cate
gories as may be deemed necessary
for their security.
Lord Cecil declared the French plan
leaves the door wide open for naval
competition, both with respect to size
of guns and size Of warships. The Brit
ish government, after close scrutiny.
was convinced it would not give real
security, because it allowed govern
ments to shift from building one cate
CORY Of ship to another merely by
giving a years notice.
'Our naval experience is as great as
any other power" he said "The navy
Is vital to us, and the very existence
and happiness Of our people depends
on our making no mistake now"
Praises Washington Farley.
Lord Cecil said Great Britain re-
garded the Washington Naval Confer
ence as great success and that it
would be undesirable to imperil it's ex-
tension at the forthcoming three
power parleys in Geneva, which he re-
ferred to as the Coolidge conference.
The future Of the latter conference
must not be prejudiced by anything
done by the present preliminary dis
armament commission.
II am not Il prophet" the British
spokesman said, "but / hope the Cool
idge conference will result not only
in limitation, but also in the reduc-
ton of naval strength. also hope the
results will have a favorable effect
on the general disarmament confer
ence."
Lord Cecil said the washington
treaty had resulted in the demolition
of II British warships, IT Japanese
and 30 Americana total of 6S, with
tonnage of 1,S61,000.
Destruction. He Says.
This is a veritable destruction of
ornaments" he said.
President Coolidge in his congress
sional message had emphasized that
the signatories had faithfully fulfilled
the conditions Of the Washington
treaty. He had also pointed out that
1t was great success, greatly light
ening the burdens of the taxpayers in
the countries affected and stopping
the danger of a naval armament race.
SignOr de Marinis announced that
Italy, like Great Britain, was unable
to accept the French proposal. He
opposed it, not as Lord Cecil did, be
cause it would disclose too little con-
corning naval programs but because
it would disclose too much
Italy did not wish to have the naval
programs revealed at the time OF the
signing Of the treaty, because politi
cal, economic and financial factors
must determine their nature. He pro-
posed that the powers he authorized
to distribute tonnage among the va
riOus categories of warships as they
desired, subject to the stipulation that
they notify the League OF Nations six
| months before laying the keel of any
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