The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-03-24
Agreement of U. S., Britain
and Japan Expected
to Develop.
HOOVER STILL HOPEFUL
President Aware of Weak
Prospects From Start
of Negotiations.
BY LYLE G. WILSON
United Press stan Correspondent

WASHINGTON, March 24-Presi-
dent Hoover's effort to obtain
limitation agreement among the
worlds five great naval powers to
CAV stood upon the threshold of
defeat.
The fve-power project could be
revived in three ways;
/. BY signature of political Sc
curity pact in behalf of France.
2.By Italian concessions away
from her claim to parity with
France.
B. BY French acceptance of the
Kellogg anti-war pact as an ade-
quate guarantee of security. en-
abling her to reduce the high figure
Of her bargaining naval building
program.
Secretary of State Stimson's in
creasingly pessimistic reports from
London over a period of nine weeks
since the conference began have not
yet moved. Hoover from his policy
Of silence with respect to London
developments beyond a casual init
nation a fortnight ago that the adj
ministration still was hopeful of the
venture.
Official View Withheld
Although the President, StimSon
and other administration spokesman
have refused publicly even to con-
slider the likelihood of France and
italy failing to join a naval agree
ment, it is known that they appre-
ciate the doubtful nature of the
fve-power program from the start.
Hoover told callers, some weeks
prior to departure of the American
delegation for London, that this gov
eminent had csnvassed both the
flve-power and three-power naval
situation and would be content. if
necessary. with an agreement be-
tween Great Britain, Japan and the
United States.
But to prevent killing f1ve-power
prospects in advance no official in
timation Of this was permitted to
become public.
Hooer launched his naval program
before his inauguration when, at
his request, President Coolidge sum-
moned Ambassador Hugh Gibson
from Brussels. Gibson headed the
American delegation TO the 1927 &C.
neva conference.
Proposed New Methods
After weeks of comforting at the
state department and with Hoover,
Gibson returned to Europe, and at a
meeting of the League of Nations
preliminary disarmament conference
proposed a new effort and new meth
DDS TO solve the naval problem.
Hoover and the ambassador are
close friends.
The President carried the idea
further in his May 30 address at
Arlington national cemetery. AM
bassador Dawes began that series of
dramatic, hurry-up conferences
with Prime Minister Macdonald,
and by August the basis for tenta-
tive Anglo American agreement had
been reached Hoover announced no
nation could reduce too low for US.
Two versions of this agreement
we're made public. one from London
and one from Washington. Close
examination showed that at that
stage of negotiations the possibility
OF reduction in the cruiser class,
which was the principal class at is
sue. had faded. There was no off,
cial Acknowledgement of this pre-
liminary defeat.
Contingent Clause Necessary
France announced her demand
for a big navy or q further pledge
of security. Italy demanded parity
with France regardless of the
formers tonnage. Japan insisted
upon 7-to-l0 ratio with the United
States in 10,000-ton cruisers.
Under these conditions, the con-
ference met Jan. 81. Anglo-Ame
can agreement in principle now
awaits the participation of Japan
alone In a three-power ag cement
or that of Japan, France and Italy
in a five-power paSt.
Prospects of the latter are dim.
but the three-power pact is expected
to emerge from London'S negotia-
tionS, provided the United States
and Great Britain can agree upon
contingent clause, which would
enable Great Britain to back out of
her bargain If FTclIch naval build
ing threatened to make the fleet
of France more than half as great
49, 81 DrifoSr,