Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-20
DELEGATES ADOPT
FARLEY PROCEDURE
Each Nation Will Be Allowed
to Present Proposals
in Its Own Way.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.


News. Copyright. 1890.
LONDON, England, January 20.-A
plan Of procedure for the naval confer
ence was adopted by the delegates as
sembled in Downing street this morn
ing which assures the greatest possible
suppleness in the discussions. There
will be no formal agenda. Conversations
will not be limited according to stir
rules fixed in advance, but each nation
will be asked to bring forward all pro-
posals, considerations and reflections
which 1t considers in any way relevant
or likely to aid in a final solution.
This assures the British that the
question of battleshipS will be fully dis
cussed, assures the Japanese that their
demands for auxiliary tonnage In ex-
cess of their Washington ratios will not
be ruled out OF order and assures the
French that their viewpoint I'm all re-
spects will be fully and sympathetically
considered without any Semblance OF
that "Anelo-Saxon dictation," OF which
much loose talk has been heard on the
European continent.
The opening of the conference by the
King tomorrow will be purely formal.
Each delegate will speak briefly and
will limit himself to general expressions
of good will. Wednesday will be de-
voted wholly to private conversations
and preparations.
Thursday at 10 am. the first full
public session will be held. Here each
delegation will present its viewpoint at
length, taking care. however, not to 20
into too much detail or take too long.
At this meeting Prime Minister Mac
donald will be elected chairman of the
conference. It is agreed that whenever
Mr.. Macdonald is absent the chief dele
gates Of the other powers will preside in
turn in alphabetical order.
Generally speaking, the full confer
ence Will meet in the mornings. Most
OF the sessions will be private The big
five. consisting Of the heads of the
delegations, will meet whenever it seems
expedient. No subcommittee have vet
been formed. These will be appointed
only as various questions reach the
point where the appointment of such a
committee seems useful. Afternoons
Will be left free for meetings of these
subcommittee and for private CONVEX
SatiOns.
Friction TO BE Avoided.
In short, the whole procedure IS
planned In such q way as IL Is hoped
VIII give every one the fullest salts
faction and the utmost assurance and
eliminate all unnecessary friction.
The outstanding development of the
conference thus far Is the British pro-
posal. firSt announced by Mr.. Macdon-
aid through the press, but since con-
firmed privately to the American dele
CATION. that an undertaking be given
even now TO reduce the size of battle
ships, beginning in 1896. The Ameri-
cans were prepared to postpone re-
placements until that date and In
principle are favorable to q considera-
BILE reduction In battleship fiotillas in
one way or another. But they would
have preferred to discuss these details
later. Mr.. Macdonalds proposal was
made without consulting them, and
therefore came as surprise.
The Daily News Conference Bureau
Is able to give the inside story Of
this slight misunderstanding. 1t Is said
on good authority that Mr. Macdonald
and President Hoover In Washington
agreed that something must be done
ultimately to relieve nations Of the
huge costs of great battleships. It is
added. however, that President Hoover
preferred that the question be left until
a little later. But Mr.. Macdonald's
hand seems TO have been forced by
his cabinet. N
British Motives Mixed.
The British motives are mixed. First
they hope by reducing battleshps to
persuade the French to reduce their
submarine tonnage. Second, they feel
that reduction in battleShips will be
popular everywhere and, In case ma jOr
dlnculties are encountered In other
categories, success In capital ship re-
duction will enable the conference, new
ertheleSs to achieve real success. Third
they feel that this cutting down of the
enormously expensive capital ships Is
the best and simplest Of all ways of
saving money on naval budgets. Final
iy. they feel that 1t would help their
own naval situation.
The admiralty estimated then and
still estimates that Britain needs
minimum Of 70 cruisers. When Eng
iano agreed to SO this was solely be-
cause OF the Kellogg pact, with its sup
posed elimination of the possibility Of
war between these two powers. But q
large element Of opinion In Great Brit
ain Is still opposed TO this reduction.
The Labor government. In studying
the situation found. that the need for 20
cruisers was based on the supposition
that while some guarded conveys others
must accompany the battle fleets to de-
fend battleships. II. therefore, the
Labor government argues, battleShips
are reduced or even eliminated alto
gether, SO cruisers will be really
sufficient.
American naval opinion does not
share in these views as far as the United
States is concerned. We are willing to
have fewer battleshipS, but we think
they should be large and carry heavy
guns. because, as the Philippines, for
example, under the Washington treaty
are not fortified, 1t would be necessary
IN case OF war to defend the islands
with floating forts, which Is what bat
tleshipS are. However, We are willing
to consider reducing the size of battle
ships to- say $4,000 tons. and also to
reduce the size OF guns. but We feel that
this Is q complicated matter which
should be carefully studied before actual
size and gun powder are finally fixed.
Furthermore, even with regard to
postponing replacement until 1896, we
would like TO find some fair way Of
compenSating ourselves for the superior
ity meanwhile given Britain by the two
new lbattleships, the Rodney and the
Nelson.
Mr.. Macdonald has explained to our
delegates that he was sorry TO have TO
make the capital ship proposal SO soon.
but THAI his hand was forced by the
Labor party and public opinion. It is
understood, however. that even some Of
the members of his own cabinet were
astonished that he did not wait until
the opening tomorrow TO make the
proposal.
Meanwhile, the incident seems to be
satisfactorily closed. The Americans
will not refuse To discuss the whole mat
ter as the British wish, but naturally
maintain their own viewpoint in all re-
SnectS for the present.