NAVAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 27 March 1930, Page 5

NAVAL CONFERENCE

OUTLOOK CHANGES

HOPE OF FRENCH OLIVE / : BRANCH. [United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.] LONDON, March 25, ; During to-day the general outlook of the Naval Conference changed completely, every delegation to-night openly avowing a renewed hope that the Conference as a quintette will yet be saved. No single decision on a firm concessionary offer is at present reported. However, Mr. Stimson (U.S.A.) and Mr MacDonald, in a momentous talk in. the morning, seemed to have re- £ .Ived to make a final concerted attempt to get back to fundamentals and pull things together. Later, after .a meeting of the heads ot the delegations, at which M. Dumesnil (France) was acting for M. Briand; the tone of both the Communique .and tnej semi-official announcements took a totally different character from that expected before yesterday’s proposals for a. six months’ adjournment.

. Emphasis must be laid on two important facts that are vouchsafed semiofficially. First, the Italian adjournment proposal was not even mentioned at the afternoon meeting; and, secondly, next week’s plenary sessionwas specifically and officially described as a plenary session of hope, not one of desperation. Neither Paris nor Rome has yet reported any concrete development justifying what is described here as the last fillip to official hopefulness, but well-informed observers are linking up tne more conciliatory tone of M. Briand’s announcement with French press admissions that a three-Power treaty would in nowise suit France. In other words the pressure of circumstances which has teen isolating France as the chief obstacle to disarmament, is at last beginning to dawn on Paris; though the adjournment proposal is condemned completely both in Quaidorsay and in the Paris press, the news being that a'Franeo-Italian agreement is as' unlikely six; months hence as it is now.

The American "delegation to-night insisted that more progress was being made in the direction of a Five-Power agreement ;than had yet appeared outwardly. •- , ; M. Briand has definitely decided to return to London to-morrow, and this is construed as an olive branch towards Britain: U.S.A. NAVAL LEADER : WASHINGTON, March 26. Referring to the Naval Conference, Mr Britten, chairman of the Senate Naval Committee, stated the conference had “blown up.” He suggested that the American delegates be recalled, and he indicated ’that there was no prospect of any three-Power agreement, and - said ' that even an- AngloAmeiican treaty, would not be permitted.: by a British. Admiralty. •• Chairman Britten said that the best interests of the American Navy call for a complete adjournment of the conference now, “while,” he added, “the very life and continuation of the MacDonald Government might depend upon a recess rather than upon a fiasco.” -■He stated that a six months’ recess would mean “the continued arbitrary dominion of the seas by Britain.” H© added: “In any farther European. emergency, the British Navy will repeat its indefensible and unlawful World War attacks upon all neutral commerce, and American interests would suffer serious and t probably confiscation, by the London Prize Courts. .The American public should not be beguiled into the belief that Italy and France are responsible for this latest fizzle.”

AMERICAN VIEW

WASHINGTON, March 26. Mr Cotton acting Secretary of State Department, (stated emphatically today that tlie Government would not consider any consultative pact- obligating the military support/ ' He said the position outlined by the delegation in London was that of officials here. :M. BRIAND RETURNS. /•/ (British Official Wireless). (Received tb’s dav at H-a.ra.l RUGBY, March 20. The ;; French Foreign Minister (M. Briand) arrived in London to-night to resume his work'in.-connection with the London Naval Conference; He was met by the British Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr A. Henderson. The Prime Minister will: preside over the. meeting of delegations -which lias-,been called, for to-morrow afternoon, and in view of the:developments which .occurred., since.-the beginning of last.,; week,, when the principal niom•i>grs Of ;. the 1 French delegation l*ftfor Paris, much importance is attached to the meeting. Mr Stimson, head of the American «lele'gation, .had .a further long conwersation with Mr MacDonald at the House of Commons this afternoon. EGYPTIAN .DELEGATION. MET IN LONDON; RUGBY, March 26. The’Foreign Secretary (Mr A. Helix -derson) together with officials of the foreign Office and Egyptian Legation to-night met the Egyptian Prime Minister (Nalias Pasha)' and other rmembers of the Egyptian Delegation, 'who have come, to London to negotiate a settlement of outstanding Anglo-Egyptian questions. Negotiations will be built upon proposals for the Anglo-Egyptian, treaty published

last August. After conversations in London between Mahmud Pasaa, then Egyptian -Prime Minister, and Mr Henderson, these proposals were described 'by Mr Henderson in a covering letter as representing “the extreme limit to which he could recommend the British Government to go in their desire to achieve a lasting and lion on ra bl e settlement.’’ Nalias Pasha, who after the Egyptian Parliamentary ejection succeeded Mahmud Pasha as Prime. Minister, issued in February a statement describing the proposed treaty as prompted by spirit of conciliation and received from the Egyptian Parliament a mandate to make the present journey to London to negotiate. The British High Commissioner, Sir Percy Loraine, is already in London and will assist in the negotiations.

NOTHING DOING

(Received this dnv at 1 n a.nO LONDON, March 26

A crowded gathering of journalists confronted the British spokesman who began discour’agingly, “Nothing gentlemen.” He added: “Naturally, n.s a result of Briand’s speech, the question of a Pact is very much in the air.” He did not presume to interpret the other delegations’ view and personally he would not say there was any change in the British policy. Certainly Mr MacDonald had not made suggestions in conference, and the subject did not arise at yesterday’s meeting of the heads. They must await developments till M. Briand re*urns. He and the other delegates may meet tomorrow afternoon.