Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-27
ROME MAY AFF|X
0. K. ON NAVY PACT
Agreement With France and
Britain Would Aid 1882
Disarmament Hopes.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

The British and French Ambassadors
at Washington, Sir Ronald Lindsay and
Paul Claudel, have called on Secretary
of State Henry L. Stimson and COM
municated to him the terms Of the
Franco British naval agreement. The
Department of State refused to COM
ment upon the terms of the agreement
because it considers that they must be
made public either by the French or
British governments. Officials indi-
Gated however, that the French have
agreed to certain reductions in the ton
mage of their navy acceptable to the
British admiralty. -'.r
According to late diplomatic informa-
ton received from Rome 1t appears that
the Italian government is also finding
the French proposals satisfactory. ana
there are indications that within snort
time both France and Italy will DEF.
initely be able to join the London naval
treaty Thus the work of bringing
France and Italy together, begun in
November, 1880, by Hugh S. Gibson,
American Ambassador to Belgium. would
he crowned with success after TOUR
months of strenuous diplomatic ac-
tivity.
Vital to Naval Farley.
The Franco British agreement and
the probable Franco-Italian agreement
are considered in diplomatic circles here
of paramount Importance. HAD tnese
countries not been able to come to
definite agreement over naval problems,
the success of the general disarmament
conference scheduled to meet In tep-
r1lary. 1892, would have been doubtful
With the naval problem out OF the way,
the state Department will look forward
to the general disarmament conference
with a certain amount Of optimism, 1t
Is said.
According to reliable information, the
French decided to reduce substantially
the tonnage of their navy only after
they had been assured OF British sup
port of their point of view in regard
to land disarmament.
At Geneva they had already obtained
the consent of the British and Ameri-
can delegations that trained reserves
should not be included in the general
disarmament scheme 1t is stated here
that since this point had already been
won, the British must have made re-
Gently further concessions regarding
Frances army.
Otner CONCESSIONS LAhcIys
Whether these concessions deal with
Frances desire not to include her
colonial army in the plan for reduc-
tions of fighting forces or whether they
deal with Frances wish Of having a
"two-power standard" on land as Great
Britain has on the seas is not certain
and it is probable that the terms OF
the Franco-British understanding will
30 tHaV
General Disarmament Conference meets
at Geneva a year hence.
The American Government Is inter-
ested in this matter only in so far as
the American delegates may be called
upon to mediate between European
powers which have different views on
this subject. The United States Army
today is smaller than that Of any Eu-
ropean power. The general opinion in
ofhcial circles here is that France, on
account of her geographical and
strategic position in Europe, can build
UP good case for herself in demand
ing an army larger than that OF any
other European state.
A certain amount OF concern Is felt
here about Germany. According to re-
ports received from Berlin, certain
German circles feel uneasy about the
alleged Franco-British understanding.
They fear, it is stated, that the French
may have obtained from the British a
definite promise of support at Geneva
and that the stage will be set in
Frances favor before the conference
actually begins.
Better Feeling Noted.
It appears, however, that the German
government does not fully share the
apprehensions. Lately relations be-
tween the French and Germans have
considerably improved. The French
seem willing to extend the olive branch
to their former enemies, and the ges-
ture of the French Chamber, which
recently authorized by an overwhelm-
ing majority French participation in a
$32, 10000 loan to Germany, is con-
sidered here extremely significant.
1t is probable that the next few
months, according to authoritative
sources, viii witness closer cooperation
in the economic field between Germany
and France.
Should these expectations be fulfilled,
. political understanding is likely to
follow.
MUSSOLINI TAKES CHARGE.