Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-16
JANUARY FORECAST
AS PARLEY DATE
Stimson Believes Delay of
Month in Convening Con-
ference Is Certain.

The naval limitation conference ex-
pected to grow out of negotiations be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain, may not take place until Janu-
ary. Secretary Stimson of the State De-
partment said today. 1t had been gen.
orally reported that the conference
would probably take place early in De-
cember.
Secretary Stimson pointed out that
the mere mechanics required for or
ganization of the conference and neces-
sity for thorough preparation by all the
powers would probably require more
time thar the interval between the
present and December. 1t also pointed
and that the Christmas holiday would
make it difficult to keep a conference
together for part of December.
The proposed conference, it is hoped,
will include the five naval powers which
entered into the naval limitation treaty
OF washington, dealing with capital
ships. negotiated in 1922. In addition
to this country and Great Britain they
are France, Italy and Japan. Up to
the present the negotiations have been
between this country and Britain. large
ly to find some common ground for set
ting the controversy over cruiser
strength which caused the failure of
the three-power conference in Geneva
in 1927.
Others Kept Informed.
While the governments of the three
other nations have been kept fully in
formed of the progress of the negotia-
tions between this country and Great
Britain, and while they have indicated
no objection whatever, but rather ap-
proval, they have yet to accept an in
vitation to the conference after 1t shall
have been extended.
Press reports from France and italy
indicate a certain uneasinesS in those
countries over the prospect of the COM
ing parley. In these reports 1t Is in
dicated that in Paris the approaching
agreement between the United States
Is looked upon as possible Anglo
American entente, which might be q
dominating factor in world affairs.
There also is fear expressed that the
two English speaking nations mlgnt
Ak upon a formula for the limitation
of tonnage of all naval auxiliary craft.
cruisers. submarines and destroyerS. and
call upon the other nations to accept
this formula. ".
There are two angles to the matter.
One has to do with the willingness OF
France to accept naval parity with
Italy. The other has to do with the
acceptance. by these two countries OF
naval strength ratio to that of Great
Britain and the United States which
would be satisfactory to the latter.
Japan also doubtless will have its claims
to present regarding the ratio OF naval
strength which it will have in any treaty
growing out of the conference. -
National Security Is Question.
The success of a five-power naval
conference necessarily will depend
largely upon an ability to get all the
nations to sign naval limitation treaty
and to have the treaty ratified In con-
stitutional manner after It shall have
been negotiated. 1t may be necessary,
therefore, after the United States and
Great Britain shall have ironed out all
their differences over naval parity and
limitation, to gain very distinct un-
derstanding as to the attitudes of the
three other powers and their demands
for naval strength.
France i'll the past has insisted upon
continued ~, paua . COlu,Nn u