Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23
British Policy of Silence De-
lays ACtion-Pact Is
Still in Force.
DETAILS REPORTED
SENT TO WASHINGTON
France and Britain Believe Ger
many Will Join Entente-Italy
Apt to Follow Suit.
By PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.


News Copyright. 1928
GENEVA, September 22.-The plain
truth underlying the tense disarmament
negotiations which have BEEN continu-
ing here throughout the week is that
everything now depends upon the an
swer which Washington makes to the
British confidential note on the Anglo
French naval compromise.
Paul Boncour. French delegate to the
League of Nations, has plainly stated
this. The date of the next meeting
of the Preparatory Disarmament Com
mission, he declared, depends on de-
cisions over which the League has no
influence"
The Dutch and japanese delegates
are equally outspoken. They favor an
informal meeting of the naval powers
Immediately to discuss the Franco
British compromise. The British, how
ever, are silent. They prefer to take
no further steps until they have a
formal reply to their note from the
United States.
United States Given Details.
British delegates have assured this
correspondent that the United States
has been fully informed on the sub
ject. Foreign Minister Chamberlain'S
revelation of the compromise was
premature, but thereafter note giving
the gist of it was Immediately cabled
70 Washington. The United States
asked for further details, which were
given within "a hours. When Under
secretary Mariner, head of the western
European division of the State Depart
ment, came to London at the time of
he and Ambassador Houghton were
supplied with full information, the
British say They therefore discount
Washington dispatches saying that the
United States Government has insult
ficient knowledge of the compromise.
They also are unable to believe the
Washington dispatches saying that
President Coolidge has decided not to
reriy at all.
1T is inconceiEable," a British diplo-
mat said to this correspondent, that
We are not even on speaking terms.
remember the days when your country
was too proud to fight, but never
heard of its being too proud to write"
The British realize that the United
States, especially in themidst of an
election campaign. may desire to take
time to consider the new situation Gre
ated by the Franco-British compromise,
but reply in the near future never
theless is confidently expected.
Disarmament to Proceed.
According to the terms of this reply,
the League disarmament plans will pro-
ceed. If the United States accepts the
compromise as a basis of discussion,
which nobody expects, then the League
preparatory Disarmament Commission
can meet Immediately and general
conference held next year. If the
United States makes counter-propoSals,
which seems to be what every one here
hopes, then some form of negotiations
will begin at once.
If the United States simply rejects the
compromise without offering any alter
native, which is what every one fears,
then a serious effort may be made by
the League to go ahead anyway on the
basis of the compromise, leaving the
United States temporarily out of ac-
count, for new naval conference must
be held in 1881, anyway, under the
Washington treaty.
Contrary to press reports recently in
Spired in London, there is no evidence
whatever that either the Franco-BritiSh
general political entente or the Franco
British naval compromise has been
dropped. 1t Is significant that an I'M
portant mission of British officers at
tended the recent French air maneuterS
and expressed themselves as delighted
with what they saw. Everything which
has happened here shows that the
French and British are working smooth
ly together for the first time in 10
years.
Since the Franco-Gcrman Rhineland
agreement early this week, both the
French and the British are confident
that they can ultimately extend their
entente to Germany. Italy, it is thought
must then also come in. Europe will
have found at last its essential unit
as the United States has constant
advised it to do.
Seek Italian Approval
The Franco-British naval compromise
is merely one detail of the Franco
British entente. Japan approves 1t.
British diplomacy,iust now is working
hard to persuade italy to approve 1t.
Most of the sn pr European states
are favorable, 4 IL breaks the long
deadlock betweeAH France and Great
Britain in the preparatory commission,
gives Great Britain the lead in naval
matters and France the lead in army
matters, and thus prepares the way for
an ultimate common text on the draft
of a convention for big disarmament
meeting. A surprisingly large number
of League members seem to feel that
it will have 1.-The happiest effect on the
limitation of ornaments"
Naturally. any contemporaries the
United States cares to make will be
eagerly studied, but meanwhile the
Franco-British compromise, far from
being dropped, seems to be gaining
support.
RRITHCu nEEINIAIS CII ENT