New Britain herald., 1927-06-22
Private Conferences

Private Conferences Geneva. Switze. land, June 22 R>- Hugh S. Gibson, chief American del- egate. held a private conversation with Admiral Viscount 'saito and Wis., count 1shii of Japan today on the problems raised by the big difference es in the American, British and Jap anese naval limitations projects.
 Englishman Not Present
 W. c. Bridgeman, first lord of the British admiralty. found himself un- able to attend this first private meet ing because of a session of the do- minion delegates, but he was to see Mir. Gibson during the afternoon and have a general talk.
 The Japanese delegates told MT. Gibson that it was difficult to dis cuss limitation of auxiliary naval vessels in terms of ratio but assur- ed him that Japan earnestly desired to reach an agreement and believed one could be achieved if all tho fac- tors in the situations of the various nations were taken into considera- ton.
 Deny Jap Rejection
 After the meeting. the leaders de- nied a report that Viscount Saito had flatly notified the American dele- gate that Jaran was unable to &C., cept the 5-5-3 ratio for auxiliaries. While the leaders were tackling the broad political aspects of the American. British and Japanese pro- posals, the naval experts of the three delegations met to begin technical study of the three plans to ascertain the exact purport of various phrases in them.
 Capt. Andrews Present
 Read Admiral Frank H. Scofield, the first of the three American ex- perts present, is director of the war plans division of the navy depart ment while Captain Adolphus An drews is commander of the sub- marine base at New London, Conn.
 At the conclusion of the techni- clans meeting, a communique was issued reading: "The technical com mittee established June 21 by resolu- ton of the executive committee of the conference met today to ex- change information with a view to elucidating in more detailed manner the respective proposals"
 The representatives of the British dominions at their meeting with MT. Bridgeman -:ussed the general British attitude in light of the plans submitted to the conference. Singapore Naval Base
 It is understood that Australia and New Zealand are especially anx- ious that nothing be done here to weaken the growing strength of the Singapore naval base. Australia is now building two 10,000-ton cruisers, which can be repaired in Sydney harbor. but in view of her remoteness from mother country, she desires maintenance of Singa- pore as a protective base for the Australian fleet.
 Admiral Saito told the Associated Press yesterday that he had no in- tention of raising the Singapore question, and Admiral Jellicoe has assured the press that the question of naval bases is not on the agenda of tho present conference.
 British Raise Problems 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 be- cause the Japanese, although dis claiming any intention of broaching the problem, have indicated that. in determining the strength of navies, the size of warships and condition of naval bases are both factors.
 Admiral Saito at his interview with Mir. Gibson made clear that Japan wants to maintain her present naval strength as she believes strongly the hope that a solution could be found satisfactory to the United States without bringing the question of raio which is distasteful to Japanese ! discussions.
 The most reliable information is that no agreement was reached at the conference. but that the first in- terview resulted in clearing the air | for further discussions.
 Despite the Japanese aversion for the fiXation of a ratio, it is felt in some quarters here that the real problem of establishing the com parative strength of the American and Japanese navies still exists. 1 while it Is pointed out that once total tonnages are agreed upon, any one can work out the ratio of ' e% cr< !,