Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-04
Prepared to Ask Actual Num-
Der of 10000 Ton Ships
Toxic Wants.
FRENCH AND BRITISH
TONNAGE PLANS STUDIED
French Thesis Taken as Basis for
DlScussion-London Counter
Proposal Presented.
BY the Associated Press.

Sy the Associated Press.
LONDON, February 4-Henry l..
Stimson, American Secretary of State.
and Reijiro Wakatsuki. head of the
japanese delegation to the Naval Con-
ference. met this afternoon in private
conference.
This was the first meeting of the
kind between the Americans and Jap
anese since the conference started and
marks the beginning of negotiations to
deal with problems affecting the two
countries.
Wakatsuki went to the Secretary's
hotel, where they secluded themselves
with the idea of talking over the prob
lem OF the number of l0,000-ton cruiS-
ers Japan shall have in relation to the
totals of the United States.
AS the two leaders faced each other
in this problem their positions were
this: The United States conceded Japan
a ratio of so per cent of American
tonnage in these heavy cruisers, while
Japan claimed 20 per cent.
The American position, in brief, was
to stick by the famous 5-5-3 ratio
evolved at the Washington Conference
for capital ships. This question, Of
course, is interlocked with that of what
limitation Great Britain and the United
States are to put on the number of
heavy cruisers, with parity between
them.
Desires to Be Asked.
1t was understood that Mr. Stimson
was going to put this query in sub
stance to Mr.. Wakatsuki: If the United
States has, for example, 81 10,000-ton
cruisers, how many does Japan want?
II the United States has Is, how many
does Japan want?
This afternoons conversation was
one of a group of three. Japan, the
United States and Great Britain are
now starting to settle their own Diff
1erenceS and 1t was made clear that
they propose to get down to definite
talk on these problems Immediately.
These private meetings will run
parallel with similar discussions be-
tween the Italians and French, who are
racing differences which lie mainly out
side of those with which the other
three powers are graphing.
French and British plans for limiting
naval tonnage were put under a micro
scope at two-hour session of the naval
oeiegatlonS sitting as a committee OF
the whole at st. James Palace.
The heads of the delegations did not
session Of their own in another part of
the palace. The general session took up
the proposals of the two nations para
graph by paragraph, a spokesman for
each nation contributing to the discus
sions. Examination of the proposals
will be continued at lAter date.
With First Lord of the Admiralty
Alexander in the chair, the conference
took the French proposal as a basis for
discussion. Alexander then submitted
the British counter proposal. It was
understood the discussion which fol-
lowed was only on the broadcast terms
and largely of an explanatory nature.
Publicity Stressed.
Rene Massigli, speaking for the
French, laid emphasis on the publicity
feature of the French scheme-that is,
the obligation to give notice of trapsfer
from one category of warship to another
one year before construction.
Ambassador Hugh l.. Gibson, voicing
the American viewpoint, suggested that
light cruisers and destroyers should not
be Jumped together as they would be
Continued on Page 2, Column g.