New Britain herald., 1930-01-20
Preparations Completed

against manifest dangers by firm handclasps and face to face consul tations. spohesmen of the five sea powers today completed in an at mosphere Of tense expectancy prep arations for convention tomorrow of their history making conference on limitation of ships of war. While the round of busy eN- changes continued privately and negotiations entered their first pub ! lie phase with summoninG of all delegates 70 a meeting at Prime 1 Minister Macdonald official resi- dcncc. and later 10 reception by ] King George. events cast into clearer relief hourly the prospective view 1 points Of every participant.
 , It became evident that the Amer jeans were ready to give practical application to President HooNcr's desire to reduce war craft to the 1 lowest possible levels. and. although the delegation disclosed no details, the delegation might take the lead with far-reachins offer to extend the naval holiday on capital ships. reduce their size, and reduce bat tlcship strength eventually below the level of the Washington treaty,
 Nations Approve Plan
 There was every indication such a step would be acceptable to Great Britain, Japan. France and Italy. Most of the delegates were confident, at least outwardly, as to obstacles which it was feared Trance and Italy might interpose on other phases of the negotiations,
 The optimism expressed yester- day after Colonel Henry L. Stmson, secretary of state and head Of the American delegation, conferred with Andre Tardieu, French premier, and Dino Crandi, Italian foreign min ster, was reiterated today on every side, although no one gave the inn pression that he felt all the rough places in the way Of the conference had been smoothed out,
 Parity StiH Problem
 4N
 tween the Americans and the Brit ish nalies remained one of the big problems to which the delegations Of both nations attached the highest importance. Parity seemed likely to have its place az the cornerstone of tho cutjr" conference program.
 The principal difficulty fay in gy,- .rt I of the two naries; tn" problem was rill uu-oN,d anl there was no evil dcucr or nrocros- toward r"solu- ton in that respect since the Ancrl- c,ms arrived Friday
 Scycta! new suggestions were stir ring today amid the diplomatic gos- -in on the cyo of the conference. One of thr+o wIs the possibility that rhc Washington treaty would he vir- tuaIly snrarpcd and new accord substituted rcN isiug for a long term ol years the ratios ot all cateGorlc' oI sBjp-.
 Germans May Participate
 Another was that Germany shouc nn invited to participate in an, u.tl.I agreement. in view of her pro -r4w of uui'dur cruisers, t'ndc' the treaty of Versailles German val yrn arc GmitaI 10 10000 ton types Uut Har naval engineers have cNolve' a a1p within that limitation ha,in. Fl gun power and cruising radius 'a rlcc,diuG cruisers of any other md ,ot.
 France particularly has lool;e' with extreme curiosity on the pos -ihlny of inviting German participa ton in an agrncmcnt but aIthouGi ! the conference might take corni aaucc Of the suggestion 10 uyit Germany it lacks official sanction q l tho present stagn Of affairs
 Much Of the optimism 90 crcel expressed on every hand today ap poarcd to have its origin in assur arcte given by the French an Italians after their weekend con Icrrnces with Colonel Stimson.
 M Tsrdicu yesterday described hi 1 conversation with the American SCI ! rotary of st"tc as enGcnderiUg yer 1 happy atmosphere for the heginnin 1 of the five power negotiations, II . warned. however. that the confcl . cnca tasks were just beginning an ! that too much should not he cApcc' cd by thc public.
 Grandi Expresses Hopes
 Dlno Graudi. the Italian torcl" minister said his first meeting wit
 Coloud .-liuson had been q vel
 great pleasure and that tho
 talked ar length together and " asccrtannd with great sati7tacjio that our two dclcgatiors arc anima
 cd by an identical spirit and ha'