Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-07-28
CHAMBERLAIN
HOPE N
NAVY PARL.EYS
Foreign Minister Tells Com
mons There Need Be No
Difficulty
TALK FOR u. S.
Explanation of British Stand
is Made For American
Consumption

LONDON, July 81 P-IIope that
the tangle of the Geneva naval con-
ference soon will be unravelled is
growing in official circles in the Brit
ish capital. This is due largely to
statement made in the house OF
commons today by Sir Austen Cham
berlain, secretary for foreign af-
fairs, outlining anew the whole Brit
ish attitude toward the par1eys and
containing the declaration: "There
need be no difficulty in arriving at
a temporary arrangement about the
immediate picture of cruiser build
ing"
1t was this question on which the
negotiations stalled last week. Sir
Austen appeared in parliament soon
after w. q. Bridgeman, first lord
OF the admiralty and Viscount Cecil.
the chief British delegates to the
naval conference, started back for
Geneva to reopen the discussions
with the American and japanese
delegates. The purpose of the for
eign secretary's statement was to put
the full weight of the British gov
ernment behind the proposals the
British delegates will make.
A second reason for the state
ment was to remove the misunder-
standing which the British govern
ment believes exists in the mines OF
many Americans regarding the Brit
ish aims at Geneva. Although the
statement was made at Westmin-
ster, and neither America nor Amer
leans were mentioned, it was never
theless admittedly intended for the,
great unseen audience of American
people.
The foreign minister informed the
commons that the British government
had been charged even with a desire
to destroy the principle of sea power
eqality as between Great Britain
and the United States.
He repiedged the British govern
ment to complete agreement with
the two-fold purpose of the Geneva
meeting as outlined in President
Coolidge's invitation ol
naval expenditures, while maintain
ing national security.
The rest of Sir Austen's statement
was largely devoted to an exposition
of the British position as regards
extensive building of small cruisers
for trade protection purposes. He
pictured graphically the exigencies
of the far-flung empire, compared
with q compact, unified country such
as the United States.
'It is to be noted" said the secre..
tary, "that the sea routes on which
Great Britain depends for existence
lie largely in narrow waters bordered
by other state. This is not the case
with the United States, whose i'm
portant lines of communication lie
either on land within her own from
tiers, by sea along her own coasts,
or in great oceans"
Great Britain claimed no right to
dictate any smaller cruiser policy to
other powers, but, he contended,
anything resembling the permanent
formula adopted at Washington for
battlesllips was inapplicable for YES
sells designed for purposes which
varied with the geographical and
economic position of the powers
concerned"
A iarring note was injected by the
SOclallSC, ERNEST InurCle, represent
ing Shoreditch who asked the min
lister whether it was not the case
that leach power at Geneva was
going to insist on special conditions
of national security, thus making an
agreement utterly impossible"
There were loud ministerial cries OF
"rot," and Thurtle continued: "In
view Of this situation, the protracted
farce at Geneva ought to be brought
to an end at the earliest possible
moment"
Sir Austen was on his feet i'm
mediately, declaring that he re-
gretted the tone and wording of Mr.
Thurtle's statement. Cheers greet
ed his announcement that the British
government must disassociate itself
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