Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-18
FRANCE AND|TALY .
LIKELY TO REFUSE
ARMS OBSERVERS
Indicate Rejection of Invita-
ton to Three-poWer Naval
Conference.
u. S. DISAGREEMENT WITH
LEAGUE CITED IN PARIS.
BRAND, However, Favors Accept
ance-Rome to Reiterate Need
for Small Armament.

BY the Associated Press
PARIS. March 18.--FranCe Is ho'
likely to send even an observer 10 the
three e-power naval disarmament con
ference proposed by President COOL
idge, it was stated today, since N!ash'
ington's strong disagreement win 'he
League of Nations Disarmament
Commission was apparent ir the note
made public yesterday at Geneva.
Public Opinion Indifferent.
BY Cable to The Star and Chicago DAM
News. Copyright, 1877.
PARIS, March 1S.-Inquiries ir
parliamentary circles show that the
Deputies are taking no interest In the
question of the three power naval con-
ference. Public opinion is indlfferent
Or opposed. The entire decision.
therefore, rests with the government
and the government is divided.
Foreign Minister BRAND is in favor
of accepting out of courtesy to the
United States Premier Poincare is
said to be reluctant, and NJ. Marin
is opposed.
Paul Boncour, French delegate to
the League of Nations. is opposed, as
are military and naval circles.
Italy's reported refusal. if confirmed,
will strengthen the opposition here.
Exchanges Have UnfavOrable Effect.
Publication of Secretary Mellon;
latest debt letter and the Unitc9
States Geneva memorandum are haN'
ing an unfavorable effect on Freg1f,,
opinion. Alongside the Mellon left&'f
are printed dispatches from Washing
ton describing the unprecedented prcs-
perity of the United States, showing
q national income greater than Great
Britain's total pre-war wealth and a
huge budget surplus.
Regarding the Geneva memoran-
dunn, the following are some of to
days headlines: United States Op-
posed 10 European Disarmament
Marks Hostility to the League"
United States Rejects League Ex-
perts' Proposals.. Declares 1t Does
Not Accept Any Proposed Disarma
nent Measures" Refuses to Prom
ise Anything" ''Tries to Ruin the
Geneva Arms Conference.
Refusal by Italy Indicated.
Dy Radio 20 The, Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright, 1927.
ROME March 1S.--Italy will refuse
President Coolidge'S second disar1na
ment conference invitation exactly as
she refused the first, according TO
every indication in Rome today.
No irtimation as TO Dictator Mus
solinis reply has been given by the
official agency, but the correspondent
IL informed from the highest quarters
that the reply almost certainly will
lie negative.
The reasons for this attitude are
exactly the same as before. Italy is a
Mediterranean, not world power.
The question of her naval armament
is based on considerations altogether
different from those which affect the
United States, England and Japan.
In other words, as long as France
will not disarm Italy will not disarm.
Need Light Armament.
Besides with her long coast line.
Italy has intimate need of such kinds
of light arma ment as destroyers and
submarines in a manner not paral-
1eled by any other power.
AS forecast to the writer, the text
of the Italian reply will be approx.
mately as follows:
While appreciating to the utmost
the honor done Italy by the second
invitation from Washington, the Ital-
ian government feels that the sug-
gestion 1t should dispatch an observer
does not really change the problem as
It existed on receipt of the first note.
Observers Power Questioned.
The question Immediately arises.
what Is an observer? If the observer
actually remains an observer, then il
3s useless TO send him. Information
can be had just as easily through
diplomatic channels. If, on the other
hand, the observer is to he more than
en observer. and is to take part in
formally in the conversations, then
the result of the conference might
bind Italy. at least morally, in a man
ner distasteful TO her national in
terests.
In other words, the idea of an OBJ
server is an anomaly which Italy, to
her deep regret. finds herself unable
10 accept.