LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1927, Page 3

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) CONFERENCE ENT)I NO. NEW YORK, July 28. The New York World in an editorial, demands that President Coolidge and Mr Baldwin (British Premier) who arrives at Quebec on Saturday, should meet' and avert the collapse of the Geneva Naval Conference, which the paper describes as being “ the greatest hash that has been made for a generation of the most delicate and important diplomatic relationship that now exists in the world.”

The New York “ Times ” Washington correspondent says: The new British naval limitation proposals have just been received, and the State Department indicates that they are not satisfactory, because they are only a slight modification of the previous British proposals. The feet’ing is growing that Monday’s plenary session in Geneva wiN probably wind up affairs, unless something unexpected intervenes to make a radical change m the situation.

SMALL HOPES IN BRITAIN. LONDON, July 28. Speaking in the House of Commons in reply to questions, Sir Austen Chamberlain (Foreign Secretary) sain that in regard to the naval negotiations at Geneva, the last thing which should he contemplated was that a failure to agree there shoui'd lead to a quarrel between Britain and the United States. 11 If an agreement is impossible.” he said, “ let us differ ns friends, ft is idle to think that a great world problem can be solved by a great, challenging, dramatic offer on the part of any one Power, big or little. The most which it has been wise to hope for since the first meeting of the Geneva Naval Conference is a small step forward. Then a series of conferences will gradually carry forward the. task.” GENEVA. July 20. The naval delegates from Britain, America and Japan, with the observers from France and Italy, to-day reassembled. Mr W. C. Bridgeman and Lord Cecil presented Britain’s new proposals, which were discussed tor two hours. Air Gibson (American delegate) cabling to AVasliington nil advice said : “ The dominant issue appeared at present to be Britain’s insistence on a six-inch maximum for the guns on the light cruisers,The communique, as usual, was noncommittal. Air AV. C. Rndgemnn refused to he drawn, saying that the only official decision was to hold a plenary session on Arondnv. Asked if the conference were likely to break up any day he replied: “T think it will end by Alondny!”

NOT ACCEPTABLE. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON', July 28. Several correspondents at Geneva assert the Americans decided last night that they are unable to accept the new British proposals, therefore it is pected that -Monday’s session will bo final'. PRESS COMMENT. PARTS, July 29. Commenting on Sir A. Chamberlain’s Geneva statement, the “ Figaro ” maintains his argument for the limitation of armaments will be in accordance with national security, equally applicable to land forces which maxim France always defended, though her attitude was not always understood.

TT.S. ORDERS CRUISERS. WASHINGTON, July 29. Coincident with the newspaper announcements of the failure of the Geneva Conference Mr Wilbur announced that contracts had been signed for the construction of six cruisers of ten thousand tons under the last Congress appropriations.