Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-29
The Break-Up at Geneva.

hnal plenary session, arranged for
Monday. will probably witness a break
up, with the delegates bidding each
other au revoir, but not farewell. Ger
tainly this conference will not be in.
terpreted as final failure in the at.
tempts or nations to agree in detail
over principle upon which they long
since have reached accord. On the
other hand, it should serve to show
more clearly that the point has been
attained In the progress of mankind
where nations may gather together to
discuss their differences and can mart
remaining friends. For friends Great
Britain and the United States will re.
main. Each should take the position
that this conference has been a failure
because of the irreconciliability at this
time of two distinct points Of view. It
will be unfortunate if attempts are
made to blame either party wholly for
the failure.
Great Britain's final proposal, and
the statement of Sir Austen Chamber.
lain in the House of Commons Wed.
nesday, may be interpreted as efforts
to restate the British attitude toward
the conference for the benefit of pub.
lie opinion both at home and abroad.
In anticipation of, and in preparation
for. the termination of the Geneva
conference. Great Britain is put in
the position of making the final effort
toward agreement, with the United
States voicing the final refusal This
Is excusable. 1t is traditional ges.
ture for political effect. But it has
contributed nothing really significant
toward the task at hand, that of reach
ing an understanding.
Though agreeable to the limitation
Of 10.000.ton cruisers. Great Britain is
still Enthusiastically certain that she
cannot accept a total tonnage limita-
ton in the smaller types of cruisers,
such as 5000 tons, nor the basis of
the application of the ratios between
the respective countries agreed to in
principle at the Washington confer.
erce. 1t is this stand on the part of
Great Britain that will lead to the end
of the Geneva conference. For it is
opposed to the principles upon which
the Geneva conference was called. The
aim of the Geneva conference from
the American point of view was to
extend the work of the Washington
conference; to make a definite tonnage
limitation in all classes of naval yes.
sells so that future competitive build
Ing would be prevented. If Great Brit.
ain insists on freedom of action in the
most important type OF vessel under
consideration, the cruiser, the chances
for agreement are remote.
One of the reasons mentioned by
Great Britain for her insistence upon
freedom in small cruiser building and
maintenance has been the fact that
she depends for her existence upon
sea routes which lie in narrow waters
bordered by other nations. But Eng.
land draws to a large extent upon
Canada. the United States and South
America for her bread and meat. II
she is at war with a non European
power. she has Europe at her back
IT she is at war in Europe she has
the overseas sources Of supply at her
rail-, as she did in the World War. II
the submarine menace should become
acute, the antidote for submarines, as
demonstrated in the. last war. is de-
stroyers, combined with other anti
submarine vessels. So it Is hard to
understand here in America why
Great Britain considers such a pre-.
dominant cruiser fleet so vital to her
national security.
But this Is technical question.
Great Britain is as much entitled to
her contention regarding small cruisers
as is the United States to its conten.
ton that all cruisers-and not large
cruisers alone-should be limited by
agreement. Let not this technical dis
agreement lead to any permanent
abandonment of the great principle in
volved. which Is that limiting arma.
ment restricts competition, and that
restricted competition dulls the pros
pect Of war and loosens money for
higher and more worthwhile purposes.
If the conference at Geneva fails, 1t
will mean the failure Of one method
alone. Some other method must be,
and will be, sought.