Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-30
PRESIDENT LOSES
HOPES IN GENEVA
Blames British Demands for
Failure to Agree Upon
Naval Reductions.
BY j. RUSSELL YOUNG.
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

STATE GAME LODGE, BLACK
S. Oak, July 30.-President
Coolidge is finally commencing to feel
pessimistic about the ultimate out
come Of the naval limitations confer.
ence being held in Geneva.
Despite continued news reports that
the tripartite parley was hopelessly
and that the whole affair was
heading toward a complete collapse,
the President had been hopeful.
But information the President has
now received from the State Depart
ment has shattered his optimism, and
while discussing the subject with
callers he revealed for the first time
since the Geneva conference opened
that he questions very much whether
an agreement can be arrived at.
Blame Put on British.
The President was represented as
placing the blame for the Geneva
deadlock on the insistent demands Oh
the British for much larger navy
than the United States Government
deems necessary. This proposal on the
part of the British, the President
holds, is directly responsible Tor the
failure on the part Of the American
representatives to agree, ana unless
the British proposal Is modlneu ne WIN
refuse to permit the American dele
gates to Weld. In this respect Mr..
Coolidge supports the position OF Am
bassador Hugh H. Gibson, head OF the
American delegation, that 1t Is prefer
able to abandon the attempt TO limit
naval ornaments rather than ADOPT d
plan meaning immense addltlonal CON
struction or relegation Of the united
States to second place.
With the President discussing MS
own feelings regarding the BRUSH pro-
posal with such amazing franknesS'
the natural question is-what VIII be
the next move Of the United STATES
in the event of failure to reach an
agreement at the tripartite confer
ence? The President himself Is not
prepared to give the answer.
Will Voice No Threats.
Although evincing strong determina-
ton not to yield to Great Britaln'S
cruiser proposal, the President made
it plain that he has no intention OF
issuing any threats, such as the adop.
ton by the United States Of huge
building program as the nrst step IN
a naval construction race.
1t was the opinion, however, OF some
Of those with whom the President so
frankly discussed this subject that his
remarks surely could be interpreted as
a warning to Great Britain. Others
saw an indication that the President
would cast aside his policy Of economy
sufficiently to permit the United States
to embark upon a naval program that
would be second to none.
The real stumbling block at Geneva,
as pointed out by Mr.. Coolidge, is
Great Britain's 100000 tonnage pro.
gram for subsidiary craft, cruisers and
destroyers. He was represented fur
ther as feeling convinced that the dis.
agreement over the number and size
of individual craft and the caliber Of
the guns is nothing more than col
lateral question which would be easy
to solve should the question Of total
tonnage be acceptable to all. con-
cerned.
Economic Features Secondary.
While on the subject the President
was represented as explaining that the
economic features involved are of a
secondary nature, that his principal
object in inviting the nations to par
ticipate in such a parley was to pro.
mote spirit of peace, good will and
better understanding between the
peoples of the earth. The removal Of
| the tax burden required by the main
tenance Of large navies and other &C.
onomic benefits would, he contends. be
the natural consequence Of such a
| spirit Of friendship. good will and bet
| ter understa nding.
At any rate, the President, while
losing his optimism. and unhestitat'
| ingIy placing the onus on the British
| for the present tangled mess. has not
completely abandoned all hope, and
| while he has been most reluctant to
! let any great amount Of doubt as to
| the probable outcome enter his mind,
| he has made it Enthusiastically plain
that an agreement will not be reached,
| at least on the basis OF the proposal
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