Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-16
DOUBTS ARE CAST
ONPARLEY SUCCESS
Painful Arithmetic Declared
Absurd by Famed
British Writer.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, February 15.-The best
informed Sunday newspapers OF Lon
don show a strain of pessimism regard
ing the Naval Conference, or, at any
rate, of warning of grave difficulties
lying ahead.
the past week lone of the Shen-shocks
and refers to 1.-THE astounding French
program of creating across the Channel
f1rst-class naval power, including sub
marine supremacy"
The suggestion that the United States
scrap four vessels and build one OF the
Rodney type, he says, came like a
bomb" The idea, de continues, sad
dened the heart and mind of every
psychological effect would mean q
heavy setback to the whole cause Of
disarmament It would glor1fy the
imagination of gunpowder."
Garvin believes, nevertheless, that
nothing can really shake Anglo Ameri-
can friendship and he pays tribute to
the absolute fairness" displayed by the
United States in the cruiser controversy.
He concludes with a. caIl for complete
abolition Of the pre-war ways Of
Wickham steed, internationally
known Journalist, says in the Sunday
In the light of the peace pact, the
painful arithmetic Of the conference Is
absurd. The whole point and purpose
of the peace pact was to make war I'M
lawful BY logical implication. the pact
involves the readiness of its signatories
to treat war-makers as outlaws. Unless
thu naval powers take a small dose OF
this logic, their conference cannot
wholly succeed and may fail entirely,
No 'globar or categorical arithmetic
will save it."
Legal PhraseOlogy Desired.
The American delegation to the Naval
Conference will insist that the approach
made to shaping a treaty to limit the
activities of submarines in warfare be
mainly along legal lines.
Secretary of State Stimson is known
to feel that legal experts are best quail
fed to draw up an agreement for the
solution of this problem, rather than
diplomats of naval experts.
In the corridors OF the delegaClon
headquarters at the Ritz Hotel tonight
nently for the American members on
the subcommittee. They were those OF
George Rublee, Specia. adviser to AM
bassador Morrow, who is noted for his
legal ability, and of Keith Merrill. an
expert in treaty drafting and in the
legal work connected with it.
Mr.. Stimson feels that a. treaty deal
ing with checks on submarine warfare
should not be drafted from the routine
naval viewpoint, nor be obscured by
diplomatic phraseology. He desires 10
have the treaty proposed by the French
drafted in the strongest and most bind
inc manner Y1OScfnle .
Hope to Raise Morale.
The Americans informally indicated
tonight that they we're well aware that
a final five-power agreement was en-
tirely contingent upon the progress
made with the French delegates, and
subsequently with the Italians, on the
basis of the French figures for tonnage.
They recognize that the work Of recon-
Cling the divergent views on the queS-
ton of tonnage would take consid-
cradle period of time. Therefore they
are anxious that some progress be made
in another line in order to keep up the
morale Of all the delegations.