Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-19
Concessions by Italy, France,
Britain and Japan Seen
as Necessary.
OUTLOOK NOW DECLARED
AS DISTINCTLY NEGATIVE
Conference Described as Merely a
Series of Private Talks
Among Delegates.
BY PAUL SCOTT MowRER,

BY Radio to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright, 1880.
LONDON, England, March 19.-The
fate Of the London Naval Conference
appears today TO- hang by three ex-
tremely tenuous threads:
/. The hope that Italy may abandon
parity with France and that France in
consequence will make reductions salts
factory to Great Britain.
2. The hope that Japan will finally
accept something less than its full de-
mands.
8. The hope that Great Britain will
change its mind and make a Mediter-
ranean pact acceptable to France.
Outlook Negative.
The present outlook is distinctly
negative, though, Of course, there can
always be happy surprises at the last
moment. Italy today shows no signs of
dropping parity with France, either
directly or indirectly. The Italians,
moreover, are angry at the threat of a
joint demarche to Rome by the other
powers. This demarche, as a matter of
fact, will probably never be made.
Yesterday the British representatives
seem to have tried to explain to the
Italians as well as to the British press
that the idea of a Joint demarche was
suggested by M. Tardieu to Mr.. Mac
donald and that the latter refused. It
Is not the first time that such all
around misunderstanding have arisen
at this conference, probably owing to
the fact that this Is not really a con-
ference at all, but series of private
talks between the delegates sitting apart
In twos and telling slightly different
stories afterward regarding what hap
pened.
What Mr.. Macdonald seems to have
suggested to M. Tardieu Sunday was
that he would try to get Italy down to
something like 100000 tons and 3-to-
ratio with France. M. Tardieu seems
I TO have agreed that he would be able
to make some reductions In the French
figures II Mr.. Macdonald thus succeeded
with the Italians.
Tardieu to Return.
1t has been learned that the French
demand ten 8-inch-gun cruisers to
minimum of $4,000 tons of subma-
rines even under the most favorable
circumstances. In global tonnage
France might come down to about
$4,000 tons, provided Italy accepts
400, 1000. For the present there seems
to be not the slightest chance, as al
ready has been said, that Italy will ac-
cept any such combination.
M. Tardieu will return to London at
- ~. ,a.lr me- d
said, will make no further proposals, nor
will France quit the conference. The
French point of view Is that of the five
powers here represented, France alone
has clearly and frankly stated its case.
The French building program has
been a matter of public knowledge
since 1924. The French memorandum
prior to the conference declared that
France could make reductions in this
program only If security were in
creased. Since the conference began
France Is the only power which has
fully explained, in great detail and IN
can delegates, all of its figures and pre-
cisely why it Is building what it Is
building In all categories.
France does not demand that the
United States, Great Britain and Japan
give similar explanations, for 1t does not
care at present what size OF nav1eS
those three powers have, but France
does insist that Italy shall put down
and explain its figures just as France
has done.
Japan's Explanation.
Meanwhile, it is explained, France will
simply sit tight.
Private explanations given by the
Japanese of why they are unable to &C
cept the latest American compromise
offers can be summarized thus:
Japan thinks that capital ships may
be abolished at the next Naval Confer
ence, in 1895. In this case the largest
ships would be 8-inch-gun cruisers.
Hence Japan Is not willing here to ac-
cept less than a 70 per ;ent ratio with
the United States in these ships. Sew
enty per cent rather than go per cent
has been the fixed japanese policy, II Is
said, ever since the Washington Naval
Conference, and there is no reason to
modify 1t here.
The head of the japanese naval staff
is Admiral Kanjikato, who at the wash
ington Conference, as Admiral kato s
chief adviser, wanted them to hold out
for 10 per cent instead Of go per cent.
In any case, 1t Is not the japanese gov
eminent, but the Emperor himself, IL is
explained, who will finally decide. the
Emperors lord chamberlain and cme1
political adviser is Admiral Suzuki, for
merly chief OF the navy,
| and he is believed to be favorable 70
the naval point of view.