Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-14

negotiations.
On the contrary, all the speeches,
made by the official representatives
OF the United States, Great Britain
and Japan, although they unequlvo'
cally explained the various positions
on the cruiser problem, were distinctly
temperate in tenor and breathed a
note of hone that the conference would
eventually succeed.
British Ask 20 Cruisers.
w. C. Bridgeman, first lord of the
British admiralty and head or the
British delegation, and Admiral "eili-
zoe insisted that the British need a
large number of cruisers with tlXed
minimum of 20.
Hugh S. Gibson, head of the Amer
lean delegation, insisted upon me
necessity of low tonnage in order
to limit the burden of taxation ana TO
prevent naval expansion.
Admiral Viscount Ishii, peaking for
Japan. publicly proposed limiting the
number of 10,000-ton cruisers to 20 or
less for the United States and Great
Britain and or less for Japan.
ME-, tT1IlSOH, dlleE NOlClItS hOPC Ol
an agreement at the conference, said
that the Japanese delegation had ad-
vised a procedure which was suhstan.
TALLY in accord with the minimum
cruiser level submitted by the United
States, but added that difficulties had
arisen in finding a common ground be.
tween the low level proposed by the
Japanese and the level which would
be involved in fulfillment of the naval
requirements advocated by Mr.. Bridge.
man.
Explains Task Of Farley.
Mr.. Gibson declared that finding a
common ground which would obviate
the burden of competitive building
was the real task before the confer
ence. He insisted that naval needs
are relative and not absolute and de-
clared that the United States. did not
feel justified in agreeing upon ton
mage so high that, far from limiting
the burden of taxation, would merely
sanction naval expansion.
The American spokesman said he
was confident that all his colleagues
would repudiate with equal vehemence
any sort of conflict between their re-
spective countries and that they could
safely leave each free in finding the
tonnage limitations to build in each
class of warships as they see fit.
Answering criticism of the alleged
position of the United States on the
number of 1O,000-ton cruisers, Mr..
Gibson denied that American insist
ence upon a large number of these
was an obstacle to the flxatlon OF q
new tonnage level.
Mr.. Gibson denied the allegation
that the 10,000-ton cruiser type was
forced upon reluctant world" by
American insistence, asserting that
this type was decided upon by a
general agreement at Washington
and that the United States.only began
it's construction of them several
years after other countries had start
ed theirs.
Mr.. Bridgeman declared that moth
ing had occurred at the conference
which imperils the good relations be-
tween the nations represented.
Charges Misrepresentation.
Mr.. Bridgeman said that the Brit
ish delegation had asked for a plenary
session because it believed that the
atmosphere of the conference was
being vitiated by gross misrepresenta
tions of the British case in certain
quarters, He declared that some
trouble had been caused by parties
who would rejoice at the failure OF
the conference.
Even if no agreement were possible
on cruisers, he declared, it would be
worth while to reach an agreement on
destroyers and submarines. Accept
ance of the British proposals, he con
tinued, would mean a definite reduc
ton in the offensive power Of every
type of warship because it reduced
their size. He then reiterated Great
Britain's reasons for her proposals as
being based on the British need of a
large number of cruisers for the pro
lection of her food supply and over
seas routes.
JeilicOe Defends Cruiser Need.
Before Mr.. Bridgeman began his ad
dress. Admiral Jellicoe, member of the
British delegation, was introduced BY
Ambassador Gibson, head of the Amer
ican delegation, who presided.
Admiral Jellicoe presented a justifi
cation of the British cruiser needs
saying that it was difficult to reduce
them in view of the responsibility OF
the navy to the mother country and