Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-02
MCDONALD REPORT
IS DUE TOMORROW
Premier to Reveal Progress
of Discussions in Talk at
League Meeting.
BY REGINALD WRIGHT KAUFMAN.


Oh RGoANhAD VhAUhA hAOEEMANs
BY Gable to The Star.
GENEVA, September Prime Min
lister Ramsay Macdonald has set tomor-
rcw morning as the date of his anxiously
awaited speech on disarmament before
the Tenth Assembly of the League of
Nations, and that speech will hinge on
the current naval conversations between
the United States and Great Britain.
It is not likely that the British Prime
Minister will announce that program
has been completed for Anglo American
ship reduction, but it is almost certain
that he will make public the fact that
the negotiations have reached highly
important and entirely satisfactory
stage.
Approved by Mr.. Hoover.
The text of Mr. MacDonald's state
ment was dispatched to the White
House some days ago and is understood
to have received President Hoover's con-
currence. The President is guarding its
details until 1t is delivered. Although
these are also carefully sequestered in
Geneva, 1t is possible to give the fol-
lowing outline:
Prime Minister Macdonald, despite
his sanguine temperament, will be too
cautious to raise hope unduly high, but
he will elevate 1t some distance and an
agreement in principle will be frankly
admitted. Furthermore, sharp dis
tinction will be drawn between the
present negotiations and their prede-
ceSSorS.
At the ill-starred tripartite con-
ference the technicians were in the
saddle; at the start Of the pourparlers
between Mr.. Macdonald and Ambassa-
dor Charles G. Dawes the diplomats
necessarily acted alone. but now for
some time the technicians and diplo-
mats have been cooperating and syn
chronizing their labors.
The problem has finally become one
OF applying the agreed-upon principle
Of parity in practice to the British and
American Navies, with their differing
requirements, while yet achieving
genuine reduction. Three phases must
thus be synchronized:
l. The principle of parity.
2. The separate requirements.
8. Reduction. n g
And it must be borne in mind that
cruisers form the most difficult divi-
sion Of the navies in such a synthes1s.
Cruisers Only Barrier.
Here, as was expected, the negotiators
have encountered whatever hitch exists,
but this technical barrier seems to- Mr..
Macdonald possibly OF speedy leveling.
That accomplished, the United States
and Great Britain will find themselves
in full accord and will, of course, joint
Iy announce both the result and the
method to the other three of the worlds
great naval powers.
Since the tripartite failure, the les
son has been well learned that nothing
can 10 much more disastrous than
opening formal discussions before some
common basis for them has been
reached. Therefore. private conversa-
ton among the big Five would be
the succeeding step.
If after general examination there
appears to be good chance Of mutual
agreement the already heralded five
power naval meetings will be called
either at Washington or at London. and
either at the end Of this year or at the,
beginning Of next. ~ g
Include Entire Problem.
Since they would practically antici-
pate by some IL months the Washing
ton conference scheduled for 1881
their scope would include examination
of the entire naval problem, from capt.
tai ships down to submarines.
1Ao0uAAAAA6 O4AVAO Woo 0hAOVASNA AOAANA-
tous issue, the scene would shift to
Geneva. To bring the affair into line
with what already has been begun be-
side Lake Leman, the fruits of the five
powers harvest would be laid on the
altar Of the Leagues preparatory dis
armament commission as a final con-
tribution from the naval powers to that
body's universal disarmament scheme.
It would then remain only for the
commission to receive this obligation
and incorporate it in the agents Of that
world disarmament conference for
which It is the duty of the preparatory
disarmament commission to prepare.
Thus Mr.. 1MacDonald's speech will In
dicate that the direction thus far taken
is the one suggested by Ambassador
Hugh Gibson at Geneva last Spring;
reduction to the minimum, not limita-
tion to the status quo; q give and take
series of adjustments, mindful OF the
powers differing requirements, and ap-
plication of the theory of elasticity.
The British Prime Minister, who ar
rived here this morning, does not be-
Eeve the long Anglo American quest Is
ended, but he does believe that the
halfway house has been at last
tCopyrieht. 1927,
II II