Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-27
BY BYRON PRICE.
Ry the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, January 27.-As the
naval powers moved toward COM
promise today on two of their
most troublesome problems-the
physical methods of limiting
fleets and Italy's demand for
parity with France-G Great Brit
ain made a new gesture of faith
in the Naval Conference success
by announcing that construction
of her two newest cruisers has
been Cancelled.
The British announcement CO.
incided with meeting of the
'big five" in Downing street at
which further progress was said
to have been made toward a COM
promise on a tonnage plan de-
signed to settle the perennial
argument on this technical phase
of naval limitation.
At the same time it was disclosed
that serious consideration was being
given by several delegations to pro-
posal that the italian parity problem
be met by treaty declaration in which
all powers would join. This would
state that the sovereign right Of every
nation to build an adequate heet was
fully recognized, but that the signatories
voluntarily agree not to exceed g GER
tain construction program between now
and 1886.
Much Remains to BE Done.
The twin attack on two of the most
difficult of the conference problems,
coinciding with the British cruiser can
collation. announcement, started the
second week of the conference in an
atmosphere Of confidence. It was en-
phasized on all sides, however, that
neither of the compromise formulas has
yet been accepted and that much re-
manned to be done, even II these two
obstacles should be overcome.
The tonnage measurement plan,
which was discussed for more than
two hours at the Downing street ses-
sion, had been under study even before
the conference began, but the proposal
to straighten out the Franco-Italian
question apparently developed overnight.
This latter idea has not yet been re-
duced to writing. and it Is not known
whether it viii be fully acceptable TO
MuSsolini'S government although first
reactions appeared hopeful.
AS 1t stood in tentative form, the sug-
gestion was that the five chief naval
powers join in a declaration, perhaps
in the preamble OF limitation treaty,
saying that the sovereign privilege of
possessing navy Of any size could not
be abridged. except voluntarily. This,
in effect, would do away with any fixed
ratio understanding such as was laid
down in the Washington treaty. Then.
in the body of the treaty. each power
would stipulate the outside limits on
its building needs between now and the
conference of 1886, when the whole
situation is expected to come under
review again in conformity with the
agreement reached at Washington.
Security Pact Undetermined.
Whether application of this general
formula to the italian situation would
be supplemented by a security pact
covering the Mediterranean, as has
been suggested by France, remains for
future determination. spokesman for
the American delegation said today
there had been no discussion whether
the United States would be willing to
join such a pact in a consultive ca
pacity.
Today's Downing street meeting of
the big five was the longest yet held.
The delegation heads discussed a de-
tailed proposal for the conference pro-
gram, with the tonnage measurement
question uppermost. The compromise
plan would lay down limitations for
each specific class of warship, but
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