Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-07-10
Breakup of Geneva
Conference Barely
Avoided Saturday

GENEVA, Switzerland. July 3-'P'
The tripartite conference almoss
broke up today. Reliable informa-
tion concerning the happenings at
a secret session of the executive
committee this morning has II that
Lord Cecil went so far in the course
of the tumultous discussion of he
cruiser problem as to bang his fist
on the table and exclaim: This is
perfect nonsense"
Lord Cecil exploded in this fash
ion after Rear Admiral Hilary r.
Jones. Of the American delegation.
had quietly delivered an explana-
tiCn of the American proposal con-
cerning cruisers. Hugh H. Gibson,
head Of the delegation who already
had listened to speech at an earli-
er session by Cecil is understood 10
have risen to his feet at this point
and to have declared with firmness
that unless, Lord Cecil withdraw this
remark. Mr.. Gibson would be oblig-
Lord Cecil Stormy
An earlier incident Of the hectic
session was furnished also bv Lord
Cecil, who is reported to have as
serted with some heat that the
Americans were always unreason-
able, because they always wanted to
have their way.
Vice Admiral Field OF the British
delegation also IL understood 10
have conti ibuted to the discord be-
tween "the conflicting parties
when. after the delivery of an
American argument that cruisers
necessarily must be measured bv 10
tai tonnage. he exclaimed: "Total
tonnage? Why, IL means nothing
more to the ay1-age mind than mere
gallons!"
Such were the outstanding Incl
dents Of the meeting which only
served TO increase the conviction
among the participants and and OBJ
servers that things wele going very
badly in the three power disarma.
ment conference.
Gibson Steadfast
Mr.. Gibson insisted that nothing
tangible could be achieved unless
the delegates "could break the back"
Of the cruiser difficulty. and ne
made it clear that anything the
British desired TO lay down in war
ships or building programs must
necessarily be translated into terms
of total tonnage.
At the end of the session. the
British tried to drive home pro-
posal that the projected naval
treaty should he confined to build-
ine programs in cruisers. instead Cf
being concerned with warships al-
ready in existence and returned to
their old demand that definite
agreement be reached on the number
Of 10000 tons cruisers which the
United States. Great Britain and
Japan would be permitted to possess.
Plan SUNDAY Meet
This did rot harmonic with the
American idea Of the treaty. because
the American delegation. like the
Jananese delegation. wants to get a
definito limit on total tonnage as
the onlv possible logical. common
sense arrangement. Nevertheless.
this British suggestion is being
studied assidiouslv both by the cx-
ports and the delcgates.
Private conversations confirmed
this afternoon between the dele
gates and will doubtless be resumed
tomorrow. DESPITE tho Sabbath. he
cause all seem fearful that on Mon
day. unless the tension is lesseaed.
the conference NAV actually collapse.
WASHINGTON. u. C.. July 9.-fPi
Increasing justification over the
insistent British demand ~ Geneva
for cruiser tonnage Of 100000 IS
y basis for a supplemental naval
treaty was evident today at the
state department where il was said
that c-eat Britain had approved 1T
the Washington arms conference
five wears ago proposal to limit
ali auxiliary craft TO total OF 450,-
00n tons.
There was no authof itative com
ment at the department as to the
American governments views on the
possibility Of collapse Of the &C.
reva conference. Sir Esme Howard.
the British ambassador Is remaining
in Washington drrin~ the e-ifiral
ncriod Of the deliberations. Exr ant
fcr ono h-ief call or Secretary gel
loog. early in tho week. what has
nassed between him and the state
department has not been divuIgcd