The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-06-24
DISCUSSION
OF 1922 PACT
NOT FAVORED
Time to Take Uu Such Ques-
tiOns Is at 1881 Meeting,
Gibson Says
ARGUMENTS UNAVAILlNG
Hope That Progress Is Being
Made Raised BY Meet
ing of Committee
ARGUMENTS UNAVAILING

Geneva, June 2i.-(P)-sreat
Britain will accept parity with
the United States In the matter
Of 10000 ton cruisers. w. e.
Rridgeman, first lord Of the ad-
miralty. said this afternoon. The
question Of parity on other cruis-
ers was still under discussion, he
added.
II the British project IL agreed
10. the 10000 ton category would
disappear when the time comes
for replacement Of the vessels,
and the maximum Of all would
then be $500 tons.
Geneva. Switzerland. June 24.--(P)
The American delegates to the tri-
partite naval limitation conference
continue absolutely opposed to the
British suggestion for discussion
during the present meeting Of the
agreement reached at the Washing
ton naval conference in 1922.
Notwithstanding arguments by
some Of Great Britain's ablcst states
men, the Americans have not been
shaken from their feeling that, in
convoking the present meeting. Pres
ident Coolidge sought an extension
to auxiliary war vessels Of the prin-
ciples established by the Washington
conference as regards capital ships.
1t was declared by Hugh s. Gibson,
chief American delegate. that while
this did not preclude consideration
Of other questions, he thought the
time to take up these questions was
at the 1891 conference, as called for
by the Washington treaty.
Move Toward Outlawing War
Reiterating that the reduction in
the size of varships, outlined in the
British proposals, would mean not
only a saving for the taxpayers, but
would signify definite move toward
outlawing wars British spokesman
said that Great Britain, from the
very nature Of her acceptance cf
President coolidgc's invitation, had
a right to reopen the Washington
discussions. The spokesman RECALLED
that'the acceptance said that the
British government was prepared to
consider to what extent the princi-
Piles adopted at Washington can be
carried further either regarding the
ratio in different classes Of ships
between various powers, or in any
other important ways"
Doubts were expressed by this
spokesman that the United States
would be able to give convincing
reasons as to why it was necessary
to have a cruiser strength equal to
that Of Great Britain. AS for the
claim that cruisers were needed to
protect trade routes, he declared it
was generally recognized that con-
siderable portion Of American trade
was done by means Of British ves-
sells. This, he added, also was true
of Japan.
Hopes Are Raised
Convocation of an executive COM
mittec meeting for today raised
hopes that some progress. however
slight, had been made toward cOordi-
nation Of the American, British and
Japanese theses introduced at Mon
days opening session, as conse-
quence of private conversations
among the chief delegates. Mr.. Glib
son, however. said that all the dele
cations were "still feeling their
way" When pressed to hazard a
guess as to q probable date for the
termination of the conferences work.
he replied:
During the war, we were sure it
was going to end by a certain time
meaning any guess was fairly good.
Continued on page l3)