Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-23
Delay of Japanese in Submit
- ting Terms to U. S. and
E. E. Britain Not in Way of
kssThree-PoWer Treaty.
LONDON PAPERS HOLD
lss5ta.t
= r. HOPE NOT EXHAUSTED
Feasibility of Collapse Of Naval
/. Conference Renews Newspaper
] Interest in Conversations Of Five
Delegations Attending London
Meeting.

~ the Associated Press.
LONDON, March 22.-With to-
morrow's meeting at Chequers
between Prime Minister MacDon-
aid and Premier Tardieu definite
~ Cancelled, the F1ve-power Naval
Conference has reached the point
where 1t Is a conference in name
only.
The stubborn deadlock Of
France and Italy over parity and
the delay in obtaining japanese
approval for the American Brit
iSh-JapaneSe tri-party agreement
have resulted in a complete SuS-
pension of the London meeting.
Japan's favorable reply next
week will save the conference as
far as a three-power treaty Is
concerned and will enable mate
rial contribution to be made to
the cause of disarmament. An
unfavorable reply from Toxic
which neither the British nor the
American delegations apprehend
for a moment-would present an
alarming prospect Of the confer
ence either blowing up as did the
Geneva conference In 1927, or
fizzling out completely unless a
naval pact between the United
States and Great Britain could
be Salvaged from the wreCsaBe.
Sees Hope Of Peace.
The influential London Observer win
say tomorrow that IAN Anglo-American
agreement by itself would maintain the
peace Of the world" This Is the ffrSt
time that such prospective termina.
ton of the conference has even been
suggested In the British press, and while
the delegates admit the present Situa-
ton Is bad, none admits It Is likely to
come to such desperate straits.
II was learned today that the mo-
n1ent q Japanese reply Is received the
work Of drafting London treaty win
be started-a task which win require at
least two weeks. The plan Is to write
q flve-power treaty, the principal see.
lions Of which will concern Great Brit
air, Japan and the United States only,
with provisions made for France and
italy agreeing to q battleShip holiday,
humanization Of the submarine and
technical agreements which have been
reached here.
The critical position Of the confer
ence has served to put r1norS and news
about 1t again into prominent posi-
ton In London newspapers, which for
q time had shown a want Of interest.
The Sunday Dispatch says that Mr..
Macdonald is faced with many dificult
situations, foreign and domestic, in his
efforts to save something from the
wreckage.
Admiralty MAY Quit
According to the dispatch, the British
Admiralty's approval Of the Rapaaan
figures was contingent on reduction by
continental powers, and the admiralty
now has informed Mr.. Macdonald that
II the French naval program Is main.
tanned these figures must be revised.
The newspaper fears the outcome Of
the situation may be designations At
the admiralty with grave consequences
Tor the government.
The Sunday Observer considers that
the London negotiations are now d..
rected to saving what can be saved
from the wreck Of the hopes inspired
Two months ago. What can be saved
IS horsepower treaty based upon the
American Japanese Compromise and on
the American British agreement"
In leading editorial headed. 1.-THE
Conference Fails" the Sunday Times
asserts: THE life Of the conference has
not yet been of1icially pronounced ex-
t1nct, but 1t Is already beyond the. power
OF human aid. Only a miracle can
save It," -
It concludes by saying that the con-
ference has been tragedy Of misman-
agement, and one Of the worlds great
est chances to diSarm has gone"