Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-23
COMBAT MEASURE
| IS j. s. NAVAL GOAL
Geneva Proposal Seeks Way
Of Deciding Actual Fight
ing Strength.

Agreement upon a yardstick for
measuring actual fighting strength
aside from the old formula of tonnage
Is the primary aim of Ambassador Glib
son at the Geneva preliminary arms
conference.
While this phase of the situation may
have been lost sight of in the consid-
Grafton of the other proposals put for
ward yesterday by the Ambassador in
his address to the conference, it Is
known that the Hoover administration
regards it as one highly essential to
any further naval agreement
The old methods of determining naval
strength by tonnage alone having failed
of result, the United States proposes
that there be a new formula, to take
into account guns, armament, age and
speed in evaluating the fighting strength
of ships.
1t was emphasized that in the present
discussions at Geneva there is no in
tention of undertaking to compose old
ideas; that the question is that of find
ing a new base for consideration in an
effort to arrive at some agreement
whereby there will be an actual reduc-
ton of existing naval ornaments and
not merely Limitation" in the various
categories which well might call for adj
ditional new construction.
Britten Gives Views.
IF Ambassador Gibson was proposing
to establish the naval value only Of
fighting ships and was ignoring the
great military value of big, fast mer-
chant ships capable of mounting six
inch guns" said Representative Britten
today, "he is overlooking an American
fU y1Io v,iR ;v1t1 dc
OF shrewd old world diplomats to the
tremendous disadvantage of his own
country"
ANY international agreement which
may humiliate our world position or
which can only be obtained through
great sacrifice on our part, might better
be left unsigned" he added.
Congress has indicated a real desire
for a Navy second to none on the high
seas and the secret unfriendly Franco
British naval accord of last year has
not yet been forgotten. If our Navy
cannot at least be the equal of any
other by written agreement, then we
must become the first naval power on
earth by right of our world position in
commerce, industry, wealth and man
power"
Diplomats Are Hopeful.
Diplomatic as we'll as American Off
clal circles are inclined to view the
reception given Ambassador Gibson's
statement as the most hopeful indica-
ton yet received that the long-standing
naval limitations deadlock will be broken.
prominent members of the diplomatic
corps whose governments are concerned
in the problems under consideration at
Geneva, while refusing to be quoted, for
obvious reasons, are known to hold the
opinion that Mr. Gibson's statement of
the American policy has contributed
greatly toward the finding of solution
Gesture Toward London.
The stress which he placed upon the
desirability of the interested nations
taking into consideration their renun-
citation of war under the Kellogg treaty
was regarded as especially significant,
not only as new approach to the dis
armament question but as means of
reaSsuring all the naval powers, and
Great Britain Of the Amer
lean Governments attitude. The ges-
ture toward London was reinforced,
some thought. by the American accept
ance in principle of the French thesis
Of naval reduction methods as modified
In 1927.
An expression Of dissent came from
the Capitol, where Representative OAR
row. ranking Republican of the House
naval committee, expressed his con-
viction that the nations have not yet
reached the point where they can settle
their difficulties by the peaceful meth
DDS suggested by Mr.. Gibson. His view
differed from that of Chairman Borah
of the Senate foreign relations commit
tee, who saw the Gibson statement as
placing "our Government in more
favorable position" and was "particu-
larly pleased" with the reference to the
Kellogg treaty.
More Hopeful Feeling.
Some American officials, who we're
understood only three months ago to
see little chance for success of the
Geneva meeting now in progress. are
now described as inclined to revise their
private forecasts and share in the more
general optimism.
Secretary Stimson said Mr. Gibsons
statement was designed as a simple and
frank exposition of the desire of the
U2ited States for reduction of arma-
ments.
Sir Esme Howard, the British Ambas-
sador, would only say that he found
the speech very interesting"
COLORED BOYS ARREST"