POWERS DIVIDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 43, 21 February 1927, Page 7

POWERS DIVIDED.

ARMS CONFERENCE. Japan Agrees to American Proposal; I FRANCE STUMBLING BLOCS. i =—— i By Cable.—Press Association.—Corrrijht.l j i Received 10.30 a.m.) tVASHIXGTOX, February 20. j The State Department on Sunday \ published the Japanese Note accept-! ing the United States proposal for a \ supplemental Naval Disarmament j Conference at Geneva, stipulating j ihat it be held not earlier than June ! ,*- I I The Xote states that it is important j to the success of the negotiations that all parties "approach the subject with ' an open mind." guided by the defensive requirements of each of the nation*. The Xote says Japan fully shares I America's views as expressed in her ' memorandum and cordially welcomes the linititive taken by the United State'. 1 I Japan will be happy to take part in th.negotiations suggested and will empower her representatives to conclude an aprernient on the subject. j The Japanese Government, in view of i the importance of the problem, finds it | c==ontial that at least part of the -Tap- j nn?se delegation shall be sent from' Tokyo. j The Japanese Government says it is J gratified to learn that it is not" the in-I tention of the American Government to j advance rigid proposals about the ratios I of the naval strength to be maintained by the several Powers in a class of I vessels not covered by the Washington j Treaty. The Japanese Go\crnment says it con- i fidently hopes a n adjustment will be reached in a manner fair and satisfactory to each of the participating Powers and conducive to the general peace and l security of the world. j France's Position. There is considerable conjecture as to whether Japan's acceptance of the proposal would not be affected if only three Powers accent the invitation to a conference. However, it is felt that the pressure of sentiment may lie so great as to force France and Italy into a conference. Officials at Washington say they believe some results would accrue from such a conference. There is a feeling of conviction that Britain's acceptance of the plan will be along the lines of that of Japan, and the President. Mr. Calvin Coolidge, is expected to give serious thought to the advisability of asking Britain and Japan to co-operate with the United States in an earnest effort to conclude a treaty of limitation of naval {armaments without regard to France or Italy. , Mr. W. E. Borah, chairman of the (Foreign Relations Committee of the ' Senate, conferred with Mr. Coolidge immediately after the receipt of the Japanese Xote. | War Debt Dragged la. j The linking up of the French war debt |to the United States with the disarma- , ment question occurred yesterday. ! j The House of Representatives had i passed an appropriation of £15.000 to I defray the expenses of American partici- | pation in the preparatory disarmament j conference at GenevaMr. J. T. Begg (Republican. Ohio) I urgrd that France should be informed that in view of her refusal of the in vitation to a naval conference, she would be i expected to pay every cent of her obliga- j tions to the United States. Mr. Begg. moreover, urged that the Powers should be given notice that if a spirit of co-operation for a reduction of armaments were lacking jthc United States could, and would, build up her i . national defence until it was sufficiently I strong to command the respect of the i • world. He said money should not bo! loaned to any nation which did not agree : to sit at the proposed conference, i j MUSSOLINI STEPS IN. ! i LOXDOX. February 20. i The diplomatic correspondent of the : '"Daily Telegraph'' says that whereas l two or thres days ago Italy, acting on the advice of naval advisers, decided to reply to the American proposal for a naval conference with a frank negative. it is now understood Signor Mussolini has intervened. In consequence the draft of the reply has been altered and modified. It now takes into consideration the relations ! between the United States and Italy, j and the recent co-operation of Britain, j