NAVAL CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20516, 18 March 1930, Page 11

NAVAL CONFERENCE.

CRISIS IN DISCUSSIONS. FRANCE NOT ENTHUSIASTIC. WOULD NOT REGRET FAILURE. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. LONDON, March 16. The Paris correspondent of the Sunday Times says France never was greatly enamoured of the- Naval Conference. She prefers the Preparatory Disarmament Commission of the League of Nations, and, therefore, is not keenly disappointed at the present crisis. Unless the visit to London of the French Premier, M. Tardieu, or the telephone talks between Signor Grandi and Rome produce a miracle French opinion is that the Conference is practically dead. That would occasion little surprise and few tears in France.

The objection of France to Italy's insistenco on parity still remains the im-; mediate obstacle to progress, but efforts are being continued for the purpose of finding a middle course between France's refusal to reduce her tonnage figures in the absence of a Mediterranean Treaty and Italy's refusal to produce concrete figures showing her requirements, beyond a general declaration of her demand for parity with the strongest European Continental Power. Conversations to this end have been proceeding almost continuously since Thursday. M. Loudon, chairman of the Preparatory Disarmament Commission, has arrived in London to discuss with the special representative of the League. M. Colban, £he date of the next sitting of the Commission

AMERICAN PROPOSAL.

DIVERSE JAPANESE VIEWS.

70 PER CENT. CRUISER RATIO.

(Received March 38, 12.5 a.m.) TOKIO, March 17.

The vernacular press delightedly acclaims the latest American proposal at the Naval Conference as evidence that an accord is assured. On the other hand the naval authorities are reported to be dissatisfied. They reiterate Japan's need of 70 per cent, of large cruisers as the absolute

minimum. The civil authorities are reticent and non-committal.

TARDIEU IN LONDON. MEETING WITH MacDONALD. DIFFICULTIES EXAMINED. British Wireless. EUGBY, March 16. The French Premier, M. Tardieu, was welcomed on his return to London by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, and representatives of the Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, and the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, also by the leading members of the French delegation to the Naval Conference. This morning M. Tardieu went to Chequers, where he was the guest of Mr. Mac Donald at luncheon. Accompanying him were the French Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Marine, Messrs. Briand and Dumesnil. Mr. Henderson and Mr. R. L. Craigie, chief British expert, were also present.

When M. Tardieu returned to London from Chequers he said he and the British Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, had examined the entire situation together, particularly the points which interest Britain and France.

On thfc one hand they had specified questions about which agreement was either certain or easy. On the other hand they had examined those questions concerning which agreement so far had appeared difficult to reach. He was convinced they would secure a satisfactory result if they excluded unwise haste.