DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1927, Page 2

DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE

JAPAN’S ATTITVDE. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) NEW YORK, June 28. The “New York Times’s” Washington correspondent states: The officials here point out that it is apparent that a misunderstanding lias arisen over the report that Japan had agreed with Britain for an Open discussion on capital ships. It is stressed that the Japanese delegates at Geneva, have merely intimated that they would not oppose the discussion of a reduction in the size of battleships after an agreement had been reached on the auxiliary craft. The officials declined to commit themselves categorically on the question of whether the United States would consent to such a discussion, but they voiced the strongest opposition to any attempt to revise the Washington Treatv.

This time a disparity in favour of Britain would arise in view of the construction of the British capital ships Rodney and Nelson, if the United States were to agree to build no ships after 1931 of greater than from twentyfive to thirty thousand tonnage. WASHINGTON, June 28.

The State Department and Japanese Embassy here hare denied sensational rumours that Japan had entered into a secret agreement with Britain “as the result of trade, involving policy in Far East.”

The State Department reiterated the conviction that it is optimistic relative to the outcome of the Geneva Conference.

AMERICA’S STAND. GENEVA, June 29,

Though the Americans interpret the Japanese delegates, Saito’s and Ishii’s statements on capital ships as foreshadowing Japanese support of Britain’s idea, the Americans have kept up their unaccommodating mood towards the British plan, which, so oxjierts say, would save the three Powers at least cue hundred million sterling. Foreign observers’ comment here is that- the convenor of the Conference is championing the maintenance of the largest and most expensive battleships. They are puzzled by Mr Gibson’s reiteration that America later might ask for larger battleships.

To-day for the first time, Mr Gibson expatiated on the Washington claim for America’s equality with Britain in every category of ships. Mr Gibson admitted that America might not immediately build up to that standard, but said she would not come one step nearer to the British demand to base the auxiliary ship strengths on actual needs, which, lie said, could not result in anything approaching to AngloAmerican equality.