TARDY EXAMINATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 101, 20 July 1927, Page 1

TARDY EXAMINATION

U.S. NOT TO BE HUSTLED PATIENCE THE KEYNOTE OF POLICY Reed. 10.35 a.m. GEINEVA, To-day. The chances of a quick decision by ihe United States upon the AngloJapanese agreement have receded somewhat. The American delegates are not ready to say simply “Yes” or “No”; but this is not taken as unhopeful. Rather, the: reverse view is taken. It probably means a long and detailed examination under various headings of the scheme, between Washington and Geneva. The leading plenipotentiaries of the three parties held another secret meeting to-day. Mr. Hugh Gibson. United States, said after the meeting that the present informal exchange of views by leaders of the delegations involved examination of the scheme point by point with the technical experts. The crux of the problem really is whether the United States dares to accept limitation of the biggest cruisers to 12 each lor Britain and the United States and eight for Japan, in view of the strength and influence that the Big Navy Party is likely to exert at the forthcoming American elections.

Other points not welcome to the American Big Navy Party are the acceptance of the limitation of future replacement of cruisers in the smaller class to 6,000 tons, and an armament limited to 6in. guns. The American Big Navy Party is all out for the biggest and most powerful auxiliary craft capable of crossing the Atlantic and the Pacific without refuelling. If the main lines of the Anglo-Jap-anese accord do not lead to a tripartite agreement, and the Geneva Conference fails, the responsibility must rest on America. The British and Japanese delegates have no desire to hurry the Americans. They feel that a quiet, steady examination of all phases of the proposition by the United States delegation offers a better hope for a useful treaty than if they were parried to adopt a policy of “accept or burst the conference.”—A. and N.Z.