Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-22
GIBSON SPEECH ON NAVAL CUT
u S. Held Ready Make Substantial Reduction in View
l of Nations Friendship,
toontinued From First Pages

L NN.SftfttA.teNe1 = AOAAA = tASS a 00N.I
able when we reach this question In
our discussion to defer to the countries
primarily interested in land ornaments
with such measure of concession as !
| trust will materially facilitate agree
ment among them.
My country's defense is primarily a
naval problem. The American Govern
ment has found no reason for modify
ing its view that the simplest, fairest
and most practical method is that of
limitation by tonnage by categories.
method which has been given prac-
tical and satisfactory application in
the Washington treaty.
While 1t Is realized that this does not
constitute an exact and scientific gauge
of strategic strength, we have never
theless found that 1t constitutes a
! method which has the advantage Of
simplicity and of affording to each
power the freedom to utilize its ton
mage within the limitation Of each
category according to its special needs.
New Solution Sought.
The American delegation has urged
this view throughout the first reading,
but, in view of the inacceptability to
some other delegations of our unmodi-
fed thesis, my Government has sought
In the various methods presented some
solution which might offer the pos
sibility of compromise and general ac-
ceptance. During the third session OF
the Preparatory Commission, the
French delegation brought forward a
| method which was an attempt to COM
bine its original total tonnage proposals
with the method Of tonnage by
.. categorieS.
Under this method, total tonnage
was assigned to each nation and this
total divided among categories OF ships
by specified tonnagss. II ! am not
mistaken, certain notifications were
suggested in informal discussions, so as
to provide that the tonnage allocated TO
any given category might be increased
by certain percentage to be agreed
uuon. such increase to be transferred
from any other category or categories
not already fixed by existing treaty.
In the hope of facilitating general
agreement as to naval ornaments, my
Government is disposed to accept the
French proposal as a basis OF discussion.
It is, of course, the understanding OF my
Government that this involves an
agreement upon the method alone and
not upon any quantitative tonnageS or
the actual percentages to be transferred
from one category to another. All
cumulative proposals OF any KIND
should properly be reserved Tor DISCUS
sion by final conference.
Ready to Cooperate.
NV government is disposed to give
full and friendly consideration to any
supplementary methods Of limitation
which may be calculated to make our
nroposals. the French thesis. or any
other acceptable to other powers. and II
such a course appears desirable, my
government will be prepared to give
consideration to a method OF estimating
equivalent naval values which takes ac-
count of other factors than d1splace-
ment tonnage alone.
In order to arrive at basis Of COM
parison In the case Of categories in
which there are marked variations as to
unit characteristics. it might be deslr-
able in arriving at formula Tor estl-
mating equivalent tonnage to consider
certain factors which produce these
variations, such as age. unit displace-
ment and caliber of guns. My govern
ment has given careful consideration to
various methods of comparison and the
American delegation will be in posi-
ton to discuss the subject whenever 1t
comes before the commission.
In alluding briefly to these possible
methods, I desire to lay special en-
phasis on the fact that for us the es-
sential thing is the achievement Of sub
stantial results. Methods are of second
airy importance.
World Changes Noted.
feel that we are able to deal to best
S1YYoctf0vHc on
our agenda only If we bear clearly in
mind the recent important change In
world conditions.
Since our last meeting, the nations Of
the world have bound themselves by
solemn undertaking to renounce war as
an instrument of national policy. We
believe (and we hope that our belief is
shared by the other nations). that this
agreement affirming humanity's will to
peace will advance the cause Of dis
armament by removing doubts and fears
which in the past have constituted our
principal obstacle.
It has recently been my privilege to
discuss the general problem of disarnla-
ment at considerable length with Presi-
dent Hoover. who has always been an
ardent advocate of peace and good
understanding. am in position to
realize, perhaps as well as any one. how
earnestly he feels that the pact for
the remuneration of war opens to us
an unprecedented opportunity for ad-
vancing the cause Of disarmament. an
opportunity which admits Of no post
ponement.
Question Of Approach.
Any approach to the disarmament
problem on purely technical grounds Is
bound to be inconclusive. The technical
justification OF ornaments Is based
upon the experience of past wars and
upon the anticipation of future wars.
So long as the approach to the problem
is based upon old fears and old sus-
picions, there is little hope of disarma-
ment The lessons of the old strategies
must me unlearned.
If we are honest, If our solemn
promise In the pact means any
thing, there is no justification for
the continuation of a war-taxed peace.
Great ornaments are but the relic of
another age, but they will remain
necessary relic until the present dead
lock is broken and that can be accom-
plished only by the decision of the
powers possessing the greatest arma-
ments to initiate measures of reduction.
In the opening statement at the
Three Power Naval Conference in 1927
r tOnty 0npo ri0y1 3 is4 ct,0Uoefiv1u norfoif1