Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-16
Statement Issued in London
Reveals That British Also
Would Cut American Total
by $1,000 Tons.
ENGLAND'S SECURITY
DECLARED ESTABLISHED
Macdonald Proposes Dividing
Cruisers Into 9-Inch and 6-Inch
Categories, Seeking Is in For
mer and 35 in Latter, Making
$4,000 Tons to 100000 for U. S.
~ the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, September 16.-Great
Britain desires from the forthcom-
ing naval negotiations at Wash
ington between Prime Minister
Macdonald and President Hoover
that her total cruiser strength of
50 units be divided into two cate
gories-namely, those of 8-inch
guns and those of 6-inch gunS-it
was authoritatively stated this
evening.
She maintains that her require
ments compel her to divide her so
cruisers into Is with 8 inch guns
and 35 with 6-inch guns, making a
total tonnage of $4,000.
The United States proposal is
for 81 eight-inch-gun cruisers and
IS six-inch-gun cruisers, totaling
$4,000 tons. The margin of dis
oute is at present three 8-inch-gun
cruisers and a tonnage of $4,000
as Great Britain suggests the
United States tonnage should be
100000.
These facts emanated from 2
source in intimate touch with
Prime Minister Macdonald.
Paves Way to Geneva.
Great Britain feels that If world
agreement on shipbuilding can be Sc
cured it will then be possible to go to
the preparatory disarmament commits
sion at Geneva In this commission
the powers could deal with land and
air arms and in the end cover the
question Of armaments throughout the
world.
1t was pointed out by this spokesman
close to the prime minister that British
security was considered absolutely guar
anteed under the negotiations thus far.
It is felt in authoritative quarters
that the proposed five-power confer
ence possibly may be unable to meet
as early as December, but it is hoped
that it will be held no later than the
middle of January, 1880. 1t has been
suggested that the meeting should be
session Of the adjourned Washington
conference. which is scheduled to meet
in 1881, but Great Britain and the
United States feel that it is time to
consider the naval problem as whole.
Statement on Negotiations.
An authoritative statement on the
position of the negotiations was as fol-
lows:
"A total cruiser strength OF so is de-
sired for Great Britain. The cruisers,
however, are divided into two categories,
namely, 8-inch gun arfG 6-inch gun car
riers. Britain maintains her require
ments compel her to divide her SO
cruisers into fifteen 8-inch and thirty
five 6-inch cruisers, making total ton
mage of $4,000.
THE United States proposal is for
twenty-one 8-inch and fifteen 6-inch
cruisers. But these latter vessels would
have a larger tonnage than the corre-
spending British cruisers. The United
States total tonnage claim is $4,000.
"The disputed margin at present be-
tween the two countries is three 8-inch
cruisers and tonnage of $4,000,
as Britain suggests the United States
total tonnage should be 100000"
This statement was generally in line
with the expressed requirements of the
two powers. namely. policing cruisers
for Great Britain and fewer but more
power cruisers for the United States.
On both sides there has been flom
the first meeting between Prime Min
lister Macdonald and Ambassador
Dawes desire tc oper negotiations by
exploring the position from the bed
rock, and II these mad not been CON-
Quoted in the most formal and tenta-
tive way they might have broken down
from the start.
A word Of gratitude was uttered con-
cerning the patient manner in which
the British home and overseas press
had consented to wait for informa. ion.
1t was suggested the new government
had inherited two or three pretty had
failures on the matter of disarmament
and, therefore, when the latest discus
Sions opened there was a general de-
sire to make an entirely fresh start.