SLIGHTLY EASIER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 62, 14 March 1930, Page 7

SLIGHTLY EASIER.

NAVAL DEADLOCK.

I Crux Lies in French and Italian Relations. PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) I i (Received 12 noon.) EUGBY, March 13. Determined efforts have been made to-day to overcome the difficulties which had brought the Naval Conference to ah. apparent impasse. These efforts have been mainly in the course of private conversations which Mr. Mac Donald has had at No. 10, Downing Street, with each of the other chief delegates in turn. He saw Mr. Wakatsuki (Japan) this morning and Mr. Stimson (United States) to-night, but particular interest attaches to the conversations he had this afternoon, first with Signor Grandi (Italy) and afterwards with M. Briand (Prance), who remained nearly two hours. The effect of these conversations is authoritatively described as encouraging. Difficulties still exist and are considerable, but the deadlock is by no means complete. In addition to the private conversations, already mentioned, ilr. Stimson and M. Briand had a long talk this morning, while M. Pietri, Trench Colonial Minister, called oil Signor Grandi. Importance is attached to the impending arrival of the Trench Prime Minister, M. Tardieu, who is expected in London to-morrow night or Saturday morning. It is generally felt in conference circles that the crux of the difficulties, which are placing the major isues of the conference in doubt, lies in French and Italian relations. Italy claims parity with France, and France, arguing that she. possesses three seaboards, considers that claim to be unjustified. The high French figures are in the main a reflection of this state of mind and in turn may affect the naval requirements of Great Britain with whom the United States desires parity.

It is, therefore, assumed that the purpose of to-day's conversations of the Prime Minister with Signor Grandi and M. Briand was so to use the situation that a substantial scaling down of the French figures can be effected. Conversations are likely to be continued tomorrow and after M. Tardieu's arrival, for it is felt that the" conference was to-night further removed from a deadlock than it was this morning.

M. Briand, who saw Press representatives this evening, said he was not going back to France until the end of the ,week. He was still confident that the conference could come to definite results in the general interests of peace. MacDONALD ACTIVE. Desperate Efforts to Save Conference. BELATED LAMENTS. (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, March 13. Justification for the belief that desperate efforts are being made to save the conference rests in a sudden change in the day's plans. Mr. MacDonald mil have separate interviews with Signor Grandi (Italy) and M. Briand (France) instead of meeting the heads of the delegations.

M. Briand's plea yesterday that Italy should be pressed to come out in the open has rather disturbed the meeting of the Big Three. There was also a belated lament that Italy and France had not been brought together before the conference to find a formula for a Mediterranean balance.

Hish-placed officials decline to accept the position as hopeless. It is now suggested that there might be a five-Power agreement, embodying a capital ship holiday. The conference might also asree "on a basis for computing -the gfobal and categorical tonnages, on which the 1027 Geneva Conference crashed. U.S. PESSIMISM. French Security Demand Causes Embarrassment. BETWEEN TWO DESIRES. (Received 10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 13. Naval Conference developments in London have caused pessimism and recent confidence of fair success has been replaced by the fear that efforts towards limitation" of armaments are in serious danger. The administration recognises that the failure at the present point might be blamed upon America, but it is felt that the United States is caught between the desire to placate the French by joining in a consultative pact and bv the fear of running into trouble with the Senate bv entering into such an agreement, which would provide an openin" for United States entanglement with the moral obligation to aid France in the event of her fleet being inadequate in the face of a future enemy. It is known that Mr. H. L. Stimson wishes for an extension of the Kellogg Pact to provide consultative machinery in the event of disputes likely to lead to war. However, he does not wish to link this with a bargain whereby France cuts her naval programme. There has been serious questioning as to whether France will be satisfied with a purely consultative "talk" pact. M. Tardieu"and M. Briand are felt to have been asking for "security" pacts which pledge the" other signatories to action beyond mere consultation. The United States never had the slightest intention of participating in such an arrangement. Commentators in London on the Naval Conference say they doubt if M. Tardieu will feel safe ""enough in his Premiership to risk any heroic proposal to cut down the French naval demands. A large majority of the members of the Chamber of Deputies is opposed to a reduction without a further security guarantee. M. Tardieu suffered several defeats on minor points and no one regards his original majority of 50 as a criterion of the real Parliamentary situation in France.