New Britain herald., 1927-02-22
ITALY REJECTS
j. 5. ARMS Plan
Refuses to Consider Further
Proposals by Coolidge

Washington, Feb. % R11taly.
like France, has turned thumbs
down on the American five-power
naval limitation proposal and thus
has apparently strapped the hopes
of Washington administration Off
Gals for a conference and ultimate
agreement among the five leading
naval powers for lighter battle craft
restriction.
Since Japan has accepted the sug
gestion as originally advanced by
President Coolidge but with a stipu-
lation that discussions not begin be-
fore June l. it remains only for
Great Britain to disclose her attitude
on the extension of the Washington
capital ship limitation treaty to
cruisers, destroyers and submarines.
On her position appears to rest the
prospects for three-power under
standing or regional agreement to
limit auxiliary craft.
The Italian reply made public
last night by the state department,
expressed that governments unwill-
ingness to discuss naval limitation
alone, declaring there exists an un-
deniable interdependence of every
type of armament Of every single
power, and Furthermore that it is
not possible to adopt partial meas
ures between only the five large ma
val powers"
Wants 1t Universal
The Italian government" the
reply added, thinks that the limi-
tation of ornaments, to be effica-
cious to the ends referred to by Mr..
Coolidge, should be universal and
recalls in this connection that the
example Of Washington was not ac-
cepted by the minor naval powers
and that the conference held at
Rome IN February. 1924, for the ex-
tension of the principles of the
Washington treaty to the powers not
signatory thereto was a failure"
Further reason given for her re-
fusal to accede to the proposal was
that Italy by reason of its 'unfav-
orable geographical position, cannot
expose itself without grave risks to
a binding limitation of It's maritime
ornaments, which are already insult
ficient to the needs OF its defense"
So blunt was the reply, in the
opinion of some officials, that it ap-
peared to leave little leeway for
composing misunderstanding Of the
American proposal such as Secretary
kellogg has indicated he saw in the
French refusal.
The phraseology employed indi-
Gated the Rome governments belief
that the Coolidge proposal contem-
plated a reduction in cruiser, de-
stroyer and submarine strength,
whereas only esta blishment Of tom
mage limitation was proposed for
each class of ships and Italian and
French ratios were not even lnclud-
ed in the proposed extension of the
Washington treaty to auxiliary craft.
U. S. Cooperating
Meantime, the United States is
proceeding under its program of CO.
operating in the broader disarma-
ment discussion at Geneva under the
League of Nations auspices and
some disarmament observers believe
that discussion of the American re-
gional agreement plan ultimately
will lead to efforts to place it in eff
feet between the United States,
Great Britain and Japan.
Although it Is admitted that such
a proposition would present ques-
lions of serious import to Great
Britain because of her close prox-
unity to continental Europe, there
appears to be little doubt that the
arrangement also will
be taken up at length informally al
London, Tokyo and Washington be-
fore the Washington government is
willing to concede that further early
naval armament limitation is practi-
cally hopeless.
Hugh Gibson, American minister
at Berne and Ambassador Designate
to Belgium, who will continue to
head the American delegation at the
Geneva preparatory commission dis
cussons called at the White House
Yesterday for final instructions
to sailing for Europe.