NAVAL CONFERENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 100, 25 March 1930, Page 7

NAVAL CONFERENCE

STILL SEEKING SOLUTION. FRENCHMEN RETURN. OFFICIAL SPOKEMAN’S REPORT. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). Received March 25, 10 a.m. LONQDN, Marcli 24. “We have not begun to salvage the ship, and cannot until it becomes a wreck. It lias not officially become a wreck. It is still making progress. There are two meetings on the bridge this morning,” declared the British, spokesman when announcing that the British delegation had made a survey of the Naval Conference and was receiving a report from the Americans. The experts are still meeting trying, and hoping, to reach some sort of solution. “The French delegation has returned. It has never given any indication that it considered that the conference was at an end for France. M. Briand lyill probably be in London during the week, which is likely to be occupied by conversations. “A plenary session is not likely this weekly.” Questioned regarding the threePower pact, the official spokesman said that if the French had gone a threePower pact would havo been brought appreciably nearer, but that had not happened. It would not be negotiated for in the five-Power conference. The only thing was to wait and see. PLENARY CONFERENCE NECESSARY. REVIEW OF WHOLE POSITION. NEWSPAPER COMMENT. (British Official Wireless.) Received March 25, 11.50 a.m. RUGBY, March 24. The newspapers state that delegations may soon have to decide whether the time has not come to summon a plenary session to review the whole position. Such a meeting would ’enable Britain, as the inviting Power, to move proposals for disarmament, for it is felt that the objects of the conference have been allowed to drift into the background. The Times says: “If the proposals forwarded to Japan and Amerioa are acceptable, a way wouiu be open to the drawing up of a complete pact, and even at the present stage it is felt that it would be possible to prepare a pact between America and J apan and Great Britain which would accelerate the scrapping of the battleships agreed on at the Washington Conference, discontinue the replacement of battleships during the next five years, and thus prolong the life of the existing ships, define the number of cruisers carrying 8-inch guns and cruisers carrying guns of a smaller calibre, limit the tonnage of destroyers, limit the size of submarines to 2000 tons, and regulate the use of the submarine in wartime. “By this means a great deal of good could como from the London Conference, even if a five-Power treaty is not found practicable.” ' A meeting of the British and United States delegations was held this morning. : . The difficulties confronting the conference were further examined this morning at a meeting between the British and United States delegations, and this evening the Prime Minister had a long conversation with the chief Italian delegate, Signor Grandi, at the House of Commons. The general situation has undergone no appreciable change. The French Minister of Marine, M. Dumesnil, has returned to London, also the Colonial Minister, M. Pietri. The date of the return of M. Briand is not yet announced, but he is expected when his Parliamentary duties permit. The King lias presented the members of all the delegations to the Naval Conference with an autographed gramophone record of his speech at the opening of the conference on January 21. Each record is contained! in a royal blue leather case, bearing the Royal coat of arms.