Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-22
Denial of Empires Flat Re-
lection of American Pro-
posaIs Follows Meeting.
NAVAL EXPERTS BEGIN
STUDY OF THREE PLANS
Eaito Intimates Solution Can Be
Found Without Bringing Up
Question Of Ratio.
Nv the Associated Press.

GENEVA, switzerland, June 60
Hugh s. Gibson, chief American del
egate, held a private conversation
with Admiral viscount Saito and Wis
count Ishii of Japan today on the
problems raised by the big divergen-
cies between the American, British
and Japanese naval limitations prof.
bets.
w. G. Bridgenian, first lord Of the
British admiralty, found himself un-
able to attend the first private meet
tng because of a session of the Do
hainion delegates, but he was to see
Mr.. Gibson during the afternoon and
have general talk.
The Japanese delegates told Mr..
Gibson that it was difficult to discuss
limitation of auxiliary naval vessels
In terms of ratio, but assured him
that Japan earnestly desired to reach
an agreement and believed one could
be achieved if all the factors in the
situations of the various nations
were taken into consideration.
Flat Refusal Denied.
After the meeting, the leaders de-
MED a report that Viscount Saito
had fatty notified the American del
: Gkdl6 LIldI Japan was GAAeAbiO W oSNSPe
the $50 ratio for auxiliaries.
While the leaders were tackling the
broad political aspects of the Ameri-
ran, British and Japanese proposals,
The naval experts of the three dele
cations met to begin a technical
study of the three plans in order to
ascertain the exact purport of vari-
pus phrases in them.
Rear Admiral Frank H. Schof1eld,
the first of the three American ex-
perts present, is director of the war
plans division of the Navy Depart
ment, while Capt. Adolphus Andrews
Is commander of the submarine base
1T New London. Conn.
At the conclusion of the technicians
meeting, a communique was issued
reading:
THE technical committee estab-,
lished June 81 by resolution of the
executive committee of the conference
met today to exchange information
with a view to calculating in more
detailed manner the respective pro-
posals.'
The representatives of the British
Dominions, at their meeting with Mr..
Bridgeman, discussed the general
British attitude in light of the plans
submitted to the conference.
Oppose Weakening Singapore.
1t is understood that Australia and
New Zealand are especially anxious
that nothing be done here to weaken
the growing strength of the Singa.
pore naval base. Australia now is
building two 10000-ton cruisers,
which can be repaired in Sydney Har-
bory but IN view of her remoteneSs
from the mother country she de-
protective base for the Australian
feet.
Admiral Saito told the Associated
Press yesterday that he had no inten-
ton of raising the Singapore ques-
ton, and Admiral Jellicoe has as
sured the press that the question of
naval bases is not on the agenda
Of the present conference.
However, some of the Dominion
representatives have been impressed
with the American viewpoint that it
will be logically difficult to prevent
reopening all the problems settled at
the Washington conference If the
British insist on reconsidering some
of them, notably the size of battle
ships, cruisers and aircraft carriers.
Naval bases may conceivably be
dragged into the negotiations because
the japanese. although disclaiming
any intention of broaching the prob
lem, have indicated that in determin.
ing the strength of navies the size OF
warships and condition of naval bases
are both factors.
Problem Still Exists.
Admiral Haito at his interview with
Mr.. Gibson made clear that Japan
wants to maintain her present naval
strength, as she believes this desira.
BILE for purposes Of national defense
He intimated strongly the hope that
solution could be found satisfactory
to the United States without bringing
up the question of ratio, which is dis
tasteful TO Japanese public opinion
The most reliable information is that
no agreement was reached at the con
ference, but that the first interview
resulted in clearing the air for further
discussions
Despite the Japanese aversion fol
the fiXation of a ratio, ii is felt IN
some quarters here that the genuine
problem of establishing the compare
tive strength of the American and
Japanese navies still exists, while il
is pointed out that once total ton
nages are agreed upon any one car
work out the ratio of strength.
AT today's meeting of the expert:
an agreement was reached concerning
the accepted tonnage of indiVidu2
warships as the basis for future
study.
Never will the Unite States bt
forced into building small-size cruis
ers unsuitable for the needs of hel
national defense-that, it is under
stood. is the answer which the Ameri
can delegates will make 10 the British
proposal for the eventual abolition o
the 10,000-ton cruisers authorized b!
the Washington parleys.
The close of the second day Of III,
conference has permitted the experts
TO reafflrm their earlier judgment tha
the three plans presented-the Ameri
can, British and Japanese-are so di
vergent as to be utterly irreconcilabl
and are certain to make a treaty i'm
possible unless some one recede
from his original position.
Admiral Saito, however. in state
ment to the Associated Press, i
which he explained the purport Of tn
.Japanese proposals, threw an entirel
new light on some of Tokio's inter
tions and justified the belief Of tn
American delegation that an agree
ment would be more possible on
basis of the Japanese plan than tn
prItish. Saito made IL clear that 1
America's future cruiser building pr(
cram she could under the Japanes
1roiect. scrap some of the numerou
American destroyers and put the tor
E.oa thus saved into cruisers.
5s anv low Limitation scheme woul
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