NAVAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1930, Page 5

NAVAL CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE POSITION. [United Press Association—By Electric ' Telegraph.—Copyright.] (Received this day at 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, Feb, 24., Americans describe as .absurd - the suggestion that the Conference will disbond at an early, date. Japanese say they are pot so'pessimistic, This story is probably based on the uncertain fate of the Chautemps Government. If it is beaten on Tuesday it will mean another annoying delay. It is just a question of how long the other delegates are prepared to remain idle.

Mr MacDonald spent last niglit at Sthnmore as the guest of Mr Stimson. Technicians this morning continued drafting a report on unclassified yes r-els, which is being presented to the Experts Committee to-morrow. Implying to a question regarding the accuracy of the report that the Conference may early adjourn' tit! 193*5, the British spokesman said that time and events would alone supply the answer. He recalled that simihu things had been wrongly said regarding the eventually successful conference at The Hague. AUSTRALIAN’S VIEWS. (Received this dnv at I.3'i p.m.l LONDON, Feb. 24. Mr Fenton refused to admit that tne Naval Conference had reached a crisis, but his optimism appears to have waned. He said: “It seems a very difficult problem and I do not see the - possibility of a Five-Power Agreement. If. Britain, ' America and Japan signed a separate agreement it wpuld be all' right for Australia, but unsatisfactorily internationally. This dilly-dalying about ratios and tonnages is most aggravating. Apparently peace pacts are meaningless, otherwise there would not be the talk of breaking up' the Conference. However,'’l am hopeful there will be a fruitful result.” • The “Daily Herald” in an editorial says: “If the French .Chamber gives Chautempts a majority, the French delegation to the Naval Conference will be back on Thursday, and work which has never been entirely suspended, will be fully resumed. “Apparently, despite Locarno and Kellogg Pacts. France is still frightened, and fear is the greatest obstacle to disarmament, and tlie greatest cause of war. It is for France to tell the world in plain language what tne fear is and what she wants to remove it.”