CRUISER CONTROVERSY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 11 July 1927, Page 5

CRUISER CONTROVERSY

HOLD=UP AT GENEVA. FATE OF NAVAL. CONFERENCE. TO BE DECIDED ON MONDAY. BY CABLE-PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPYRIGHT GENEVA, July 9. When the executive or the Diaarmament Conference met to-day tor the nret time in a week a gloomy leeling prevailed regarding the cruiser question. Alter the meeting, however, there was a happier note apparent. Japan attempted to provide a compromise iuv suggesting that cruisers and destroyers he classified together when estimating the maximum tonnage. It is very doubtful whether this is helpful, but after lunch the lit. Hon. n C. Bridgeman (Britain) announced that he was more hopeful than a few days ago. .He empnasised the absurdity of Britain being forced to build cruisers of a type she does not want just to suit America. “We have never been in favour of the offensive 10,090 ton, eight-inch gun cruiser class,” he said, ‘‘it was adopted at the Washington Conference against our will. Ileal disarmament can only be achieved by fixing lowest sizes and longest ages for ships compatible with security. ‘‘Britain’s proposals would save £1,000,000 on each large cruiser, and £300,000 on each smaller vessel. There has never been any question of a cruiser parity between Britain and the United States. Each country can state its own needs.”

A pressman asked: “If the United States accepts 7500 tons as the maximum for cruisers, would you scrap vour 10.000 tonners?”

Mr. Bridgeman: ‘‘l will wait till the proposition is seriously made. Of course it sounds an attractive proposition for those who have no 10,000 tonners to scrap.” After Mr. W. Bridgeman’s statement, the general impression prevailed that while an agreement on cruisers is impossible, the conference will try to launch a treaty regarding destroyers and submarines.

Another leading British delegate, summing up the situation, said the conference is continuing “because the Americans are slow to face the real issue, in other words, President Coolidge is uuwilling to permit, a breakdown of bis own conference and face the music of American, responsibility therefor.” LONDON, July 10. An official statement issued at Geneva says that the executive resumed the discussion of cruisers. The Japanese suggested that the British battleship proposals should be discussed after the limitation of auxiliaries was settled. America stated that they would not object to an informal exchange of views of the British proposals covering battleships and aircraft carriers after an agreement had been reached regarding auxiliaries, but without prejudicing the decisions of the participants in the 1931 conference, also recommending that if the conference is successful, then the Washington signatories should hold a conference earlv in 1931, instead of August. 1931, to determine the effects of the Geneva decisions on the replacement programme beginning in November. Britain reserves the- right to raise the capital ship question at Geneva irrespective of the decision on auxiliaries.

The executive has adopted the technicians’ report, setting out the points of agreement, but the points of disagreement concern vital questions of tonnage, and size of guns of cruisers and small submarines, the whole question of ratios.' and the reopening of the capital ships problem. The executive have decided to convoke a. plenary session on Monday, when the fate of the conference will be decided. A POSSIBLE WAY OUT. LONDON, July 10. The “Observer’s” Geneva correspondent hints that the Geneva impasse may be ended by r an agreement to divide cruisers into "two categories, offensive and defensive, in order to meet Britain’s special needs to protect her trade routes

IXTRANSIGEANT AjVIERICAN ATTITUDE. NEW BRITISH PROPOSAL. NEW YORK, July 9. With the latest reports from Geneva, which indicate that there is now a possibility of a reconciliation of the British and American views of cruisers when the conference resumes on Monday, American opinion, both otfiical and unofficial, is swinging towards renewed hope that the gathering will accomplish its purpose. Generally speaking, the attitude in this country is intransigeant. Mr. Bridgeman’s statement yesterday brought forth deep opposition. It is termed belligerent and irreconcilable with the pronouncements of the British delegates at the Washington Conference, which agreed, with a maximum tonnage of 450,000 for all auxiliary surface craft.

The State Department to-day reiterated the (relief that it would be useless to enter into any limitation treaty with a cruiser tonnage in excess of 400,000. The State Department even went further, pointing out that it had not yet abandoned the expectation that America’s original proposals for a cruiser tonnage of 250,000 to Britain’s 300,000 would be accepted, although 400,000 tons had been informally suggested by the American technicians as a basis for discussion.

Geneva reports that the new British proposal to limit the age of cruisers to 24 years would bring th© British cruiser tonnage to approximately 443.746, and this may permit new grounds for discussion on Monday. This has strengthened the belief among those with pro-Mritish sentiment that the difficulties may be overcome. They point with approval to the views of Lord Lee, printed in “The Times” (London), that the question of AngloAmerican relations is far too- serious to be left to naval experts. LIMITATION OF DESTROYERS. GENEVA, July 9. The conference lias agreed that destioyer leaders 'be limited to 1800 tons, and destroyers to 1500 tons,

with five-inch guns and an age limit of 1G years. An agreement has not yet been reached on total tonnage. AMERICAN EDITORIAL OPINION. NEW YORK, July 9. As concerns editorial opinion, the “Chicago Tribune” says: “Any concrete benefits to be expected from the conference in respect to expenditure and stable relations seem at this stage doubtful, but there is a. very real danger that the conference will have the deplorable consequence of increasing international irritation and distrust.” The leader then bitterly attacks the British point of view. The “New York Times” is one of the few newspapers which strongly support the British contentions. It stresses that the American delegates have swung from economy to parity in naval strength, and adds that the purpose of the ■ conference was to secure economy. It points out that the British proposals mean a saving of £150,000,000 to the Powers concerned, and expresses the fear that a rush will prove expensive.

DELEGATES’ OPINIONS DIFFER.. NO ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISE. GENEVA, July 10. If heed were given to the smokeroom gossip, the conference is doomed to failure, out Geneva is notorious for taradiddles that foolishly prophesy absolute breakdown. The executive committee in the forenoon briskly rediscussed the cruiser difficulty already outlined, setting out the three viewpoints on capital ships. It then adjourned to a. date not fixed. The week-end is being devoted to private conversations on cruisers and preparations for Monday’s plenary session. Nothing has yet happened to bring within sight .an acceptable compromise on cruisers. The delegations’ opinions were still far apart and apparently irreconcilable, but it is learned definitely from delegates present at this morning’s meeting that nobody is preparing to face the actual abandonment of the conference. Mr. Gibson, after the meeting, said : “I refuse to be discouraged. V’e are at present no nearer a solution, but ail sincerely want limitation. I believe we will eventually find a way out, and we are determined to keep on trying till we do.” British circles to-day point out that the new Japanese proposals are not acceptable, chiefly because they are based on Japan’s shortage of limit warships, which throws an unnecessary burden on the taxpayers. The application of the British age limits to Japanese figures gives a total tonnage not far short of Britain’s own proposals.

“Britain will not give wav to pressure to model her navy to suit American ideas,” virtually declared the Rt. Hon. W. C. Bridgeman. He recalled that America’s insistence at the Washington Conference had forced Britain to buijft 10,000 ton cruisers which she did not wapt. Nevertheless, Mr. Bridgeman was most confident that some result would he acuieved here.

OPEN MEETINGS. ONLY WAV TO STOP MENDACIOUS CAMPAIGN. SIR .JAMES PARR DISCUSSES THE POSITION. lle.eived 10.35 a.in. to-day. LONDON, July 10. “Empire*, interests are suffering as the result of secret meetings, which only gue opportunities for unscrupulous sections of the foreign press to misrepresent our proposals and to invent most grotesque fables. 1 hope future meetings will be open to the press. This is the only way to arrest a mendacious campaign,” declared Sir Janies Parr on his arrival last night, from Geneva. He added: “lhe onK cure for the raider is the cruiser. Biitain’s claim to 70 cruisers is reasonable to intelligent civilian New Zealanders and Australians with twelve thousand miles of trade route to protect. They support Britain’s measures to keep the ocean highways clear If the conference breaks down, it will be because the nations decline to recognise Hie facts about our far-flung Empire.” A. I LA. and “Sun.”