AIR OF MYSTERY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVIII, Issue 10984, 2 August 1927, Page 5

AIR OF MYSTERY

THE NAVAL CONFERENCE. PLENARY SESSION POSITION. A UNITED STATES PROPOSAL. (Press Association—Copyright. - ) GENEVA, July 31. Mr Gibson (chief United States delegate at the Naval Limitation Conference) has suggested the insertion of a political clause in the proposed treaty providing that in the event of one of the contracting powers utilising its cruiser tonnage in a manner considered prejudicial to the others, a conference should be called for readjustments. Failing an agreement, the treaty would automatically end. ■ It is understood that Mr Gibson informally submitted the suggestion to IMr Bridgeman before his departure for [London. Although it did/not fall on fertile ground, it wa9 formally pre- | sented on July 28. Mystery surrounds the postponement of the plenary session, all the delegations refusing to give the reason or accept individual responsibility. It is understood, however, that Baron Ishii, realising that a collapse of the conference on Monday would have a disastrous effect on public opinion, urged on the other delegations the desirability of a postponement to prepare public opinion and for the purpose of finding a formula for a resumption of the conference at a future date. Britain and the United States agreed. Mr Gibson later informed the Press that while the Americans had accepted a postponement, there might equally well have, been a plenary session on Monday or Tuesday if the other delegations had nothing new to offer.

HOPE OF A SOLUTION. JUNI AMERICAN SUGGESTION. NEW YORK. July 31. Under the heading, "Hope of Salvaging Conference' is Remote." the '' New York World" prints a dispatch from Washington to the effect that Mr C. E. Hughes (a former Secretary of State), who declined to head the American delegation at Geneva, might now consent to meet the Earl of Balfour in a renewal of the same spirit that prevailed at the Washington Conference in a supreme attempt to bring a reconciliation out. of the oresent muddle if Mr Coolidge and Mr Baldwin do not take the case in ; their own hands.

The correspondent quotes senators as deeming it necessary to take the negotiations out of the hands of theorists and put the issues before practical statesmen. The idea of war between the two nations is taken seriously only by naval men, who feel they must base their calculations on such a contingency, however remote.