SIGNS OF PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 25, 30 January 1930, Page 9

SIGNS OF PROGRESS

CAUTIOUS COMMUNIQUES

THE DIFFERENT THESES

British OfflclaJ Wireless.

(Received 30th January, 11 a.m.)

KUGBY, 20th January.

Signs of progress could bo discerned in cautiously worded communiques, issuod after different meetings held yesterday between delegates to the Naval Conference, and these arc likely to be moro clearly defined at the public plenary session to-morrow morning. The probability is that the proceedings will then be opened by a short statement by Mr. Banisay Mac Donald, as Conference President, and the delegates of the different Powers are expected to define their views on the different matters whereby naval limitation can bo achieved. Broadly statod, the British thesis is limitation by categories with ratios between tho Powers; the French method is by estimating global tonnago with provision for transfer from category to category, and tho Italian delegation advocate a maximum tonnage with ratios in categories.

Tho delegates in discussions of last week touched constantly upon those theses, and as Mr. Mac Donald in a broadcast speech said of his colleagues from othor countries: "Wo now know thoir problems and their points of view with an intimacy that was impossible before."

One specific item of the tmsinoss at to-morrow's Conference will be tho_ appointment of a. committee to continue formally; what the delegates have hith-

erto informally done, namely, the consideration of the methods and the defining of the order on which the Conference shall proceed with its work. The general impression is that tho committee will consist of two representatives from each delegation.

This morning tho British delegates attended tho usual weekly Cabinet Council.

■ At a dinner given in London last night in honour of tho Naval Conference and delegates, Signor Grandi, head of the Italian delegation, spoke of Italy's need of a long period of peace in which to carry out the vast programme of work laid down by Signor Mussolini. Lord Grey and Mr. Henderson also spoke. The Foreign Secretary said: "Everybody is well aware that if the Conference succeeds, wo shall go forward to the Preparatory Commission at Geneva to make a world-wide Treaty. | If, on the other hand, the Conference should fail) who can. foretell the consequences that might ensue? But I refuse even to contemplate the thought |of failure." He added that it was in that spirit that the Conference would act, and it was for that reason he was confident of its success.