Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-06-26


iteration of the departments con-
tention that the conference was not
intended to reach an agreement which
would be effective beyond 1886, the
year in which the arms treaty may
terminate.
Under the replacement tables agreed
on at Washington, no battleships may
be replaced until 1881. In that year,
it was again pointed out, the sigma
tory powers will meet to consider
wholesale revision of the pact. There
for, it was maintained, it would be
unwise now to agree to reduce battle
ship tonnage from the present $4,000
ton maximum to below 10000 as
proposed by the British, when a
different figure may be settled upon
in 1881.
GENEVA, Switzerland, June 25 P-
The tripartite naval conference de-
clared naval holiday this afternoon
to permit the delegates to witness
Geneva's annual flower festival. This
exceeded in beauty any previous affair
and made Admiral Saito think OF his
land of chrysanthelmums as the cor
tege, lavish in exquisite flower COM
binations passed down the lake front.
The delegates were delighted to get
this chance momentarily to forget the
conference, which after the first week
of negotiations, has brought forth no
accords on any subject justifying the
convocation of plenary public ses-
sion. The British have been pressing
for public meeting, as they wish an
opportunity to proclaim publicly their
reasons for requesting an examination
of the clauses of the washington
treaty, but both the Americans and
Japanese think it futile to come to-
gether merely to air differences OF
opinion, and favor further efforts to
reach an agreement on some of the
fundamental points in private con-
verSationS.
The Japanese tonight refused to
discuss the mooted apanese-Amerlcan
perpetual peace pact, further than
tc say that the reports on this subject
were greatly exaggerated and Specu-
lative."
To those familiar with official Jap
anese life, this means that the Jap
anese do not wish entirely to deny
or affirm the reports, but desire that
the idea of pact sink into the
minds of Americans, and to await the
reaction of the American government
and the American people. II the
reaction is distinctly unfavorable, the
Japanese will speedily drop the mat
| ter; if positively enthusiastic they
presumably will make some concrete
proposals later to Hugh S. Gibson
head Of the American delegation.
The American government has prob
ably been advised that negotiations
for such a pact are at least pos
sibility, and it is believed also thai
| if Admiral Saito makes a definite
move, Mr. Gibson will be in position
to know what attitude to take.
The so-called Bryan arbitration
agreement was never concluded witt
Japan, though successfully negotiated
with other nations, and the japanese
are credited with the ambition tt
/ fashion some peace treaty witt
America more direct than the existing
four power Pacific fleet.
In the meantime Japan has OIL
cially informed the American dele
cation that she wants 70 per cen
auxiliary warships to every 100 pc
cent for the United States. Thu
means that Japan demands a ratl'
of 3.5 instead of 3, as fixed at Wash
ington for capital ships, and tn
Americans must decide whether thl
augmentation can be agreed to.
Meanwhile, in spite of official de
mails. it is understood that the Jap
anese informed one delegation tina
they would not press their deman
for an unlimited number of sma
subnarines-a demand which seem
especially to worry the British.
The week ends with the American
standing firmly against any reopenln
of the washington treaty before 1913
when a second conference will
held at washington with France an
Italv participating, for the purpoS
of studying the size of warships
the light Of the development
science.
Mr.. Gibson, speaking to the pre-
TODAY. made plea for patience. +
said he was not unreasonably optin
istic, but wanted to point out th'
at the washington conference the
was merely one proposal before tt
assembly, namely the Hughes pla
An agreement in principle was reacl
ed almost at once, but it took
weeks to work out the details.
At Geneva, on the contrary, thr
different proposals are presented, al
, it is not surprising if it requires TIN
to reach a common basis OF dlscu