Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-10
Gibson Threatens to Leave
Unless Lord Cecil With
draws Remark.
STORMY SESSION HELD
ON CRUISER PROBLEM
Explanation of Plan for Tonnage
Limit Called Nonsense and
Unreasonable.
By tha Associated Press.

BY tha Associated Press.
GENEVA, Switzerland, July g.
The tripartite naval conference al
most broke up today. Reliable in
formation concerning the happenings
at a secret session of the executive
committee this morning has 1t that
Lord Cecil went SO far in the course
OF the turnultous discussion of the
cruiser problem as to bang his fist on
the table and exclaim: This is per-
feet nonsense"
Lord Cecil exploded in this fashion
after Rear Admiral Hilary T. Jones
of the American delegation had quiet
lv delivered an explanation OF the
American proposal concerning cruls'
ers. Hugh S. Gibson, head Of the dele
CATION, who already had listened to a
lreproach made at an earlier session
bv Cecil, is understood to have risen
10 his feet at this point and to nave
declared with flrmness that unless
lord Cecil withdrew this remark, Mr..
Gibson would be obliged to leave. Cecil
withdrew it.
An earlier incident Of the hectic
~ossion was furnished also by Lord
Cecil. who is reported to nave as
serted with some heat that the Amer
leans were always unreasonable; pc
cause they always wanted 10 haVe
their way.
Field Adds to DiscOrd.
vica Admiral Field of the British
Sotocation also is understood to nave
Contributed to the -discord between
"the high conflicting parties when'
after the delivery of an American ar
pument that cruisers necessarily
must be measured by total tonnage
he exclaimed: ;. o.rs
tTotal tonnage? Why, IL means d
nothing more to the average Hi1ii0
than mere gallons!
Such were the outstanding Incidents
of the meeting, which only served 10
increase the conviction among tue
participants and observers that things
we're going very badly in the tnree-
mower disarmament conference.
Mr.. Gibson insisted that nothing
tangible could be achieved unless the
delegates could break the back OF
the cruiser dificulty, and he made II
clear that anything the British DE-
sired to lay down in warsnips OF
building programs must necessaIny
be translated into terms OF total ton
mage.
British Return to Demand.
At the end of the session the British
tried TO drive home a proposal that
the projected naval treaty shouio pe
confined to building programs IN
cruisers. instead of being concerned
with warships already in existence
and returned to their old demand that
definite agreement be reached on
the number of 10.000-ton cruisers
which the United States, Great Brit
ain and Japan would be permitted TO
possess. -,
This did not harmonize with the
American idea of the treaty, because
the American delegation, like the
Japanese delegation, wants to get
definite limit on total tonnage as the
only possible logical, common sense
ARRANGEMENT. Nevertheless, the Brit
ish suggestion is being studied as
sidiously both by the experts and the
plenipotentiaries.
Private conversations continued TINS
afternoon between the delegates ana
doubtless will be resumed tomorrow,
despite the Sabbath, because all seem
fearful that on Monday, unless the
tension is lessened, the conference
May actually collapse.
w. C. Bridgeman, first lord OF the
British admiralty, has insisted on
nlenary session Monday in order that
he NAV expound the British thesis
on cruisers in public, and has served
notice also on Mr.. Gibson that on
this public occasion he will ADDRESS
10 him a series of questions touchlns
on conference problems. He refuses,
however, to disclose the nature or
these questions.
Crisis Probable Tomorrow.
Unless the situation improves by
Monday 1t is conceivable that Mr..
Gibson may definitely ask the British
delegation to say, "yes," or mo, p"
whether ii is disposed to reduce its
cruiser figures. This would mean that
Mr.. Bridgeman would be expected TO
answer and to indicate by that answer
whether any useful purpose could be
served by continuing the Geneva
negotiations.
In the meantime the Japanese show
n tendency to side more vigorously
with the British in restricting as far
as possible the number Of 10,000-ton
cruisers. Their naval interests would
he advanced by such restrictions,
because il the United States possesses
relatively few high-powered cruisers
Japan's position in Far Eastern
waters would be strengthened, as
many of these cruisers owned by the
United States must be reserved fer
protection as conveys in accordance
with all the rules of naval warfare.
There are increasing indications
here of the widespread interest of
the American people in the confer
ence developements. A Western woman
wrote to Mr.. Gibson that she hoped
he would not lose sight Of the special
value Of heavy cruisers and would
not forget that many American
women believe the United States has
the right to possess such cruisers.
From Fort Atkinson, Wis. came a
letter saying: Hope You will stand
by the United States cracked cannon
as long as she holds"