FACING VITAL PROBLEMS.
Progress of Naval Conference.
GLOOMY OUTLOOK PREVAILS. (Unites* Press Association—By Elec.n# Telegraph—Conyr l eh*..) LONDON. February 17. The British spokesman found himself under a fusilade of questions as to what progress had been made for | reconciling the Anglo-American tonnage agreement with excessive FrancoJapanese figures. He admitted that the production of large tonnages seriously affected the relativity of the British position. For example, Britain had reduced her cruiser claim from seventy to fifty when there appeared a different state of affairs from when she stipulated a minimum of seventy, but new and unforseen circumstances had arisen to make the whole question of ratios the subject of very serious consideration. An American asked did it mean that Britain was going to scale upwards. The spokesman replied in the negative. and then went on to say that nobody had modified “their absolute needs and rigid demands.” His use of the terms embarrassment and perturbation indicated that the Conference had reached a very difficult state in which much hard work and logic w T ere needed to persuade France and Japan to reduce their totals. Continental Pressmen mentioned the bearing of the Mediterranean Locarno upon the problem. The spokesman replied that this was purely a Naval Conference and could not assume a political character. The Experts Committee this afternoon will discuss special ships hitherto unclassified. Mr Macdonald and Mr Stimson telegraphed their sympathy to M. Tardieu, who is detained in Paris by influenza. Another Obstacle. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” sees another obstacle to the sucess of the Conference in Japan’s hint that she is disinclined to scrap capital ships before 1936, or to enter the three-Power agreement to which most people pinned their faith in the event of a five-Power failure. The writer says that the French demand for 458.000 tons in cruisers having eight-inch guns and downwards, compared with Britain's 549.000 tons, is strongly criticised by the Americans as unreasonable. He asserts that Mr H. L. Stimson was so impatient at the demand that he walked out before Friday's conversations ended, but if Britain is disposed to yield ito France, America will not be concerned, because the strength of the ! French Navy is primarily a British j concern. JAPAN’S MARGINS OF SAFETY. NO MODIFICATION OF PROPOSALS (United Press Association—By Electric \ Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received February 18, 11 p.m.) TOKIO, February 18. Admiral Kato, Chief of the Naval General Staff, in an interview, stated that Japan wants the Powers to understand that her claim for 70 per cent, cannot menace the safety of other nations. The figure has been computed strictly with regard to defensive strategy. That Japan claims 30 per cent, less than America, should be sufficient proof that aggression across the Pacific is not contemplated. An attack requires a superior force, and speaking as a sailor and not a diplomat, he w T as convinced that -a 70 per cent, minimum was strictly defensive. America offers 60. which is inadequate, even 65 would not suffice for safety.
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Bibliographic details
Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18497, 19 February 1930, Page 9
Word Count
499FACING VITAL PROBLEMS. Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18497, 19 February 1930, Page 9
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