GENEVA DEADLOCK

Grey River Argus, 9 July 1927, Page 5

GENEVA DEADLOCK

U.S.A. ATTITUDE. Cruiser Limit or None. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received July 8 at 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, July 7. The New York Times Washington correspondent states: Should the Geneva Naval Conference, contrary to the expectation of the United States’ Government, be unable to agree to cruiser limitations, it is understood to l-< the intention of America to refuse to make any agreement relative to submarines and destroyers, it being felt that these three classes of vessels cannot be treated separately. The British Ambassador, Sir Esme Howard, who has returned from the country for a conference with Mr Kellogg (Secretary of State), will remain for several days in order to be in'uirect touch with the United States Government, and report its views to the Foreign Office. Sir Esme Howard has pointed out that the United States and Britain respectively arc best able to judge their own requirements, and that no criticism should be directed by the people of one country against tho other on this score; and also that, if no agreement is reached at the Geneva Conference, no illwill should result. The Japanese Ambassador has also called on Mr loggConference in Suspense. JAPAN’S FLAT REFUSAL. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) LONDON, July 7. The Exchange Agency's Geneva correspondent says that the Executive was summoned on Friday to decide the future of the Conference. The British United Press Geneva correspondent says that Japan has flatly refused to acquiesce to America’s willingness to meet Britain’s ideas, by increasing the cruiser tonnage to four hundred thousand tons. This has precipitated the meeting of the Executive. BRITAIN’S PROPOSALS. LONDON, July 7. The Times Genevea correspondent says: The fate of the Naval Conference remains in suspense. The British and American proposals continue to be irreconcilable. Britain, is remembering the bitter experiences of the War time, with the enemy raiders, particularly the Emden, and cannot abandon the demand for more ships of smaller tonnage, because the American idea of fewer ships, of larger tonnage, would never meet the Empire’s requirements. Britain has little use for a cruiser fleet of ten thousand tons apiece, and does not desire to be forced into building them. There is talk in League circles that the difficulty might be solved by a comprehensive Anglo-American agreement, but the Americans are of the opinion that the scheme might be feasible if it could be assumed that each country would assist the other if attacked.