ALTERNATIVE PLAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 40, 17 February 1927, Page 7

ALTERNATIVE PLAN.

American Proposal to Circumvent France.

WASHINGTON, February 16.

I France's rejection of Mr. Coolidge's ■ proposal for a naval conference has turned the hopes of the Administration! to an alternative for a three Power ; Treaty with Britain and Japan, particu-; i larly as Italy is not expected to agree ■to limitation, especially with France refusing. ! Mr. F. B. Kellogg (Secretary of State).' | commenting on the French refusal and I referring to the charge that the plan ] would undermine the League of Nations, j said it was true that Article VIII., of the Covenant, entrusted the problem of dis- ' armament to the League. Nothing had been done, however, except at the Washington Conference. | "If naval, land and air armaments: are to be considered as one problem | ' applying to all nations,'' he said, "a

j world-solution will hardly be reached for : • [ years to come." 1 i Misunderstood. j 1 • j Mr. Kellogg further claimed that the j • j French misunderstood the memorandum j and he reiterated that the United States intends to continue to participate in the , League of Nations Disarmament Commission regardless of the outcome of Mr. 1 Coolidge's proposal. ; Other officials have declared that they ; are unable to take seriously the Frcnch j counter proposal that the American plan : be submitted to the League Commission, since it has already been submitted re- j peatedly and rejected with the votes of I small non-naval States. ! It is intimated at White House that President Coolidge will await the formal replies of all Powers before determining j the results of the proposal and the next ' steps to take