Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-06
Next Move Up to Five Big
Naval PoWers-Might
Meet in Washington.
GIBSON SEES ADVANTAGE
IN CAUTIOUS APPROACH
Soviet Chides Nations for Assumed
Timidity, but Policy Has Cen
eral Support.
p t,e Assnciatcd Press.

BY the ASSOClalcG FLtNS.
GENEVA, May 6.-Thc preparatory
disarmament commission adjourned to-
day with the next move toward disarm-
ament awaiting action by the big five
naval powers.
In adjourning. the commission left
The date of the next meeting open, but
with the understanding that it will
be convened anew when the naval
nations announce that they have
achieved enough progress toward a
naval agreement to justify summon
ing of what is expected to be the
last session of the commission before
Convocation of an international con-
ference on disarmament.
A meeting of naval experts, probably
in Washington. may be a feature Of
coming disarmament negotiations. A
delegate of one of the maritime ma
tlons expressed the opinion that it will
be impraCticable to conduct the slated
conversation between Britain, the
United States. Japan. France and Italy
by long-diStance exchange of written
communications.
lnCluenL SUITS IdTIeS.
One Semi-humorous. semi-serious in
cident marked the closing moments of
the session.
While Maxim Litvinoff, Soviet vice for
eign CommiSSar, in a final speech was
scourging the work Of the session as
absurd and useless, flames suddenly
shot up from the conference table ii
front of the French delegation. A
delegate had thrown a lighted match on
a leaky gasoline cigarette lighter There
was recoil of the delegates as the
flames scared, but Gen. Requin of the
French group seized the huge tray
where the fire was centralized and bore
IL to the window.
NJ. Litvinoff. entirely unmoved by the
incident. continued to attack what he
felt was the negative character of the
commissions activities and demanded
that an international disarmament con-
ference be called as early as possible,
when he hoped the peoples voices for
real disarmament could be heard.
The commission adopted a Japanese
proposal to postpone further considera-
ton of the naval chapter of the draf.
treaty so as tc permit direct conversa-
tons between the five powers.
Sees Results Achieved.
Politis Of Greece insisted that the con-
ference had achieved appreciable re-
suits and expressed certainty that the
American naval suggestions would have
a happy influence on the outcome of the
endeaVOrS TO reduce armament burdens.
He was convinced that the first inter
national conference would mark a first
step, however modest, toward solution
Of the great problem of disarmament
During an earlier stage of today'S
session. Hugh S. Gibson, the American
representative, told the conference that
he favored speed consistent with the
sound. effective handling of the impor-
tant and complex problem without
leopardZlng the successful conduct Of
the work by entering precipitately upon
discussions for which any of the inter-
Csted powers is not prepared" The
American delegation, he said. wanted
each country to come into the discus
sion prepared TO speak on a basis Of its
independent study.
Mr.. Gibson announced that in view
OF other analogous studies being made
by other governments, it would not be
Opportune to embark upon a detailed
discussion of the suggested American
method Of naval reductions. However,
he wanted to emphasize that the" equiv
alent tonnage proposed by the United
States was an expression used to con-
vev the idea, for comparative purposes,
Of the military value Of individual ships,
and hence Of the total value of WarshipS
in any given category.
Faciors to Be Studied.
He favored taking into account only
factors that were simple and obvious,
and expressed belief that the problem
should not be complicated by the in
PRODUCTION Of factors which really We're
no more than elements Of prime factors.
He suggested as factors unit displace-
ment. gun calIbcr and age, as well as
speed and other elements
The American proposal is no rigid
plan to be accepted or rejected" said
Mr.. Gibson, adding that 1t was new
method Of approach 10 the problem
Continued on Page ;, Column T.