| Show r SEEKING I IC C COMPROMISE MPR MIS O ON 2 PR Britain Cancels Building of Two New Cruisers CONFIDENCE SHOWN U. U S. S Denies Joining Forces With Japan ot By BYRON PRICE Associated Press Pres Staff Writer LON LONDON DON Jan 27 As 27 As the naval p powers moved toward compromise today on two of their most troublesome troublesome troublesome trouble trouble- some problems the problems the physical methods methods meth meth- of limiting fleets and Italy's demand domand de do- mand for parity with Franco Groat Franco Groat Britain made a new gesture of offa fa faith th in the naval conference success suc sue cess by announcing that construction construe construe- tion of her two newest cruisers has been canceled The British announcement co coincided co- co melded with a m meeting of or the Big BigFire Five Fire In Downing street at which further urther progress was said salt to have been made toward a rt compromise on ona ona ona a tonnage plan designed desIgne to settle the perennial argument on thIs technical ll phase nse of or naval limitation At the samo same time it was disclosed disclose that serious consideration was be beIn being being be- be ing In given by several delegations t ta to toa toa a proposal that tho the Italian Hallan parity parit problem be met suet by a n. treaty declaration declara- declara lion tion in which v all po This would state that tho the sovereign right of every nation to build an adequate fleet was vas full fully recognized but that the signatories voluntarily agree not to exceed a n. certain constructIon construction con con- program between now and anc 1036 CONFIDENCE SHOWN Tho Time twin attack on two of or th the most difficult of or tho the conference problems coinciding with the British Brit Brit- ish cruiser cancellation announcement announcement announce announce- ment mont started the second week o otho of the tho conference in an atmosphere o of oC smiling confidence It was em cm- Continued yr on page 7 POWERS SEEKING I COMPROMISE ON 2 SHIP PROBLEMS Continued from page pago 1 on all aU sides however hoever that neither of ot the compromise formulas has hag yet been accepted and that much remained to bo be done oven if these theBe two o obstacles should be over over- come Tho tonnage m measurement plan which was discussed for Cor moro moro more than two hours at III the tho Downing street mission ha had 1 be been n un under er stud study even before tho the conference began henn but tho time proposal to straighten out the I Franco Italian question apparently developed overnight This latter Idea ha hiLJ has not yet et been reduced to i writing an it i la Is not nol known whether It will bo be e fully acceptable to Mussolini's Musso 0 lini's linis government although although h first re reactIons reactions reactions re- re actions appeared hopeful WOULD END RATIO As It stood In tentative form the suggestion was waR that the tho five chief chic naval al powers Join In a l declaration perhaps In tho preamble of ot a limitation limitation lim him treaty saying that the sovereign soy sov privilege of ot possessing a navy of or an any size could not be abridged except voluntarily This rids In fn effect would do away with any fixed ratio understanding such Buch as was Jal laid down clown In the tho Washington trea treaty Then In tho the body hody of oC the treat treaty each cach power would stipulate the outside limits on Us Its building building- needs s between n now w and arid the tho conference confer confer- enco ence of oC 1936 when tho the whole situation situation situa situa- tion Is exp expected to como come under re review review review re- re view again in conformity with the agreement nt reached at Washington Whether application of oC this g gen general nera n- n era eral formula to the Italian situation would bo ho u supplemented by a security pact covering the Mediterranean as has been een suggested by France re remains ro- ro mains for tor future determination A spokesman for tho tIme American delegation tide dele gation gatlon Ml said toda today there had b been cn no discussion whether tho tIm United States Stales would be e willing to Join such sucha a pact in a u. capacity Today's Downing street meeting of ot tho ho big blA five o was the thc longest lIt yet et held The Tho delegation heads discussed discussed discussed dis dis- cussed a detailed proposal for th tho conference program with th the tonnage ton ton- nage naso measurement question upper upper- most Tho The compromise plan would woul la lay down own limitations for each specific class of oC warship but bul would defer to French views lews b by allowing a l certain percentage of or total ton- ton nago to be bo diverted from one class to another CANCEL BUILDING Announcement of or cancellation of ot work ork ork on tho the British crul cruisers Surrey and Northumberland was made by thy bytho bytho tho the admiralty without explanation These are aro tho the two ships on which Prime Minister MacDonald suspended suspended suspended sus sus- work ork shortly before belore his visit to tho United States last year The absence of ot official comment on to today's today's today's to- to days day's announcement was taken as further evidence of oC Great Britain's faith that some agreement ement would toe be reached during tho present ions The Tho Surrey and Northumberland were to have havo been ton ve yes ves ads sels Tho The inference was that Great Britain saw tho the wn way to an nn agreement agree agree- ment whereby she will need only her pre present nt strength in this largest class of ot cruisers leaving tho the re remainder remainder re- re of her total tonna tonnage e to be put Into small ships ship The understanding understanding under under- standing has been een that In parity discussions with tho the United States the tho British 1 Indicated they preferred I to build cruisers of or about 1300 tons ton ra rather her than tho the bigger type as re re- re placements rue Tho only available British comment comment com corn ment wa was from tho spokesman n o otho of oC tho ho British delegation who said the cancellation Indicated a very er hearty hope that the conference would do Something Work Vork o on these the ships never had actually been started tl It was pointed out In other quarters quarters quarters that recent cruiser discussions indicated the tho British were wore much In Interested Interested interested In- In In fn the Japanese as well velt as American cruiser programs particularly par par- in view of or Japans Japan's demand for a l seven to ten cruiser status The admiralty's cancellation order there therefore foro was taken n as possible evidence evi dence that the British are confident Japans Japan's demands wilt will be met satisfactorily satisfactorily satis gnUs on a basis which would not give her greater power In large cruisers than Great Britain already alread possesses Reports that tho the United States Slates had Joined forces with Japan in her demand for more cruisers were denied denied de de- de- de nied at the tho American delegation headquarters It Is understood thus far no formal discussions of ot this subject have hae been cen held but th the British and Japanese delegations made an nn appointment to meet each othor other this afternoon The Tho British also had an appointment during the ha day for foi- foia a a. joint meeting with the French and Italians CONFERENCE DELAYED A conference at St St. James palace between tho the British and French scheduled d for late lato this afternoon was cancelled when nhen Prime Minister Minister Minis Minis- ter MacDonald decided to attend the debate In the house of ot commons commons com com- mons mona on ratification of oC the optional clause of or tho the world court r recently signed b by Great Britain The status of tho British navy was Indirectly injected Into tho the de debate debate de- de bate through an amendment Introduced introduced Intro intro- b by Sir Austen Chamberlain former foreign secretary ur urging an additional declaration that In carrying carrying car car- out an any work for the tho league of or nations tho the British fleet would be subject ct only to British maritime I law Jaw ass ass' |
