THREE-POWER CONFERENCE AT GENEVA FOR THE LIMITATION OF NAVAL ARMA MENT, JUNE 20-AUGUST 4, 1927-Continued From the Ambassador in Great Britain (tel.) Apr. 28 (98) May 5 (93) To the Ambassador in Great Britain (tel.) May 6 (105) May 11 (77) May 17 (66) Chamberlain's statement that British Government prefers Geneva and has so notified Japan, and that necessary steps are being taken with regard to use of League facilities. Instructions to advise Chamberlain of U. S. assumption that From the Ambassador in Great Britain (tel.) From the Chargé in Japan (tel.) Foreign Minister's emphasis on strong desire of new Japanese From the Ambassador in Italy (tel.) Italian memorandum, in reply to invitation to be represented at Conference, reserving right to send naval experts who may at any given time assume the character of observers (text printed). (Footnote: Information that the Department was advised on June 4 that the Italian Government had appointed two unofficial observers; information, also, that a French Mission d'Information attended the plenary sessions.) May 23 To the British Ambassador Confirmation of arrangement that Three-Power Conference May 27 To President Coolidge June 1 Recommendations as to membership of American delega tion. Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Western European Record of conference of State and Navy Department officials June 2 To the Chairman of the American Delegation (1) Notification to Mr. Hugh S. Gibson of his appointment as chairman of the American delegation; information that Admiral Hilary P. Jones will be a delegate and that Mr. Hugh R. Wilson will be secretary general; list of State and Navy Department assistants on the delegation; general instructions as to U. S. participation, with emphasis on fact that Conference is most likely to be successful if its deliberations are restricted to the immediate problem of extension of Washington treaty principles and ratios to auxiliary vessels. June 9 To the Minister in Switzerland (tel.) (46) Communication of names of British and Dominion dele gates. Page 38 38 38 39 39 40 40 42 43 45 THREE-POWER CONFERENCE AT GENEVA FOR THE LIMITATION OF NAVAL ARMAMENT, JUNE 20-AUGUST 4, 1927-Continued Date and number Subject Page 1927 June 20 (11) June 20 (12) June 20 (15) June 21 (16) From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Press release (text printed), giving an estimate of tonnage to be scrapped if American proposal for basis of 300,000 tons of cruisers and 250,000 tons of destroyers for the United States and the British Empire, and 180,000 tons of cruisers and 150,000 tons of destroyers for Japan were accepted; information that no scrapping of submarines would be required on basis of 90,000 tons of submarines for the United States and the British Empire and 54,000 tons for Japan. From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) For the President: Message from secretary general of Conference transmitting greetings from the delegates. From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Résumé of first plenary session, at which the chairman of the American delegation was named president of the Conference, organization procedure was decided upon, and the three delegations gave opening statements. From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Executive committee resolution (text printed) recommending the formation of a technical committee to exchange statistics of present cruiser, destroyer, and submarine tonnage of each of the powers, the tonnage now authorized and appropriated for, and other pertinent information. 46 47 47 48 June 22 (22) From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) 48 June 22 (23) From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) 50 Japanese desire for upward revision of the ratio assigned to June 23 (25) June 23 (26) June 23 (27) June 24 (10) From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Request for instructions concerning whether it should be suggested to British that U. S. delegation is prepared to sustain adoption by Conference of a decision (draft printed), reserving consideration of the British proposals to the 1931 Conference provided under the Washington treaty. From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) British insistence upon discussion of capital ships at present Conference and upon importance of placing limits upon maximum size of cruisers, destroyers, and submarines. From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Belief that Bridgeman desires a plenary meeting soon in order that each power may state naval needs and justification therefor, and that he will argue for preponderant British strength; intention of American delegation to reiterate that naval needs depend on strength of other powers and are purely relative, and by emphasizing certain other factors to bring out in bold relief U. S. willingness not only for real limitation but for reduction as well. To the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Approval of suggested action and draft decision set forth in chairman's telegram No. 25, June 23. 50 51 52 53 THREE-POWER CONFERENCE AT GENEVA FOR THE LIMITATION OF NAVAL ARMAMENT, JUNE 20-AUGUST 4, 1927-Continued Date and number Subject Page 1927 June 24 (31) June 24 (11) June 25 (138) June 26 (32) From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Reply of American and Japanese delegates, in response to Bridgeman's inquiry as to suitable time for plenary session debate on British suggestions concerning battleships and aircraft carriers, to effect that since their instructions precluded discussion of Washington treaty revision, they would have to ask their Governments for pertinent instructions. To the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Authorization to take action outlined in chairman's telegram No. 27, June 23, if British insist on elaborately defending their demand for a high cruiser tonnage; assurance that United States is sincere in regard to maintaining parity with Great Britain, but on the other hand is unwilling to sign a treaty increasing British cruiser strength by 75 percent and requiring the United States to triple its cruiser strength. To the Chargé in Great Britain (tel.) Forwarding of chairman's telegram No. 27, June 23, and Department's telegram No. 11, June 24, with instructions to advise Chamberlain informally of U. S. Government's surprise concerning British attitude at Geneva, in view of repeated assurances that Great Britain would accept parity with the United States in all classes of naval vessels. From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Optimistic view of American delegation that obstacles, such as satisfying Japanese amour-propre while maintaining Washington treaty ratio and acceding to British desire for no limitation on number of small cruisers, can be overcome; efforts to dispose as soon as possible of British suggestions concerning Washington treaty. June 27 (33) From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Information, for State and Navy Departments, that comparison of British and American capital ship tonnage on the Washington standard-ton basis shows that excess British tonnage is even greater than was previously indicated. 54 55 56 56 58 June 27 (35) From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) 59 Suggestion that British delegation might be aided in withdrawal from untenable position regarding revision of Washington treaty, if the Secretary would discuss frankly with British Embassy in Washington, U. S. interest in nonrevision of the treaty, insistence upon parity with Great Britain, and desire for curtailment of naval building program. June 27 (36) From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) 60 Expression of regret to Japanese delegate that his Government has revised its instructions to permit acquiescence in British proposals for discussion of capital ships. June 27 From the British Ambassador 61 THREE-POWER CONFERENCE AT GENEVA FOR THE LIMITATION OF NAVAL ARMAMENT, JUNE 20-AUGUST 4, 1927-Continued Information, supplied at Chamberlain's direction and for communication to President Coolidge, that the British Government aimed, in including in its proposals the question of reducing the size of capital ships, to further the spirit of the Washington treaty, to set an example for the Preparatory Commission to follow, and to effect economy in reduction of armaments. 258346-42-vol. I-3 Subject Page Date and number 1927 June 28 June 28 (20) To President Coolidge comments. To the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Information that it is impossible to carry out the suggestion in chairman's telegram No. 35, June 27, because of absence of British Embassy force from Washington, but that copies of chairman's telegram No. 27, June 23, and the Department's telegram No. 11, June 24, have been forwarded to the American Embassy in London with instructions. June 30 From President Coolidge June 30 (44) June 30 45) Approval of Secretary's position as set forth in letter of June 28. From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Press interview authorized by Bridgeman (text printed), denying demand for naval supremacy and reiterating principle of U. S.-British parity, but also expressing opinion that while Great Britain's special needs require a higher number in certain types of vessels, the United States has the right to build up to an equal figure in any type of warship. From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Summary of developments favorable to American position: British action in preferring postponement of public sessions, end of their insistence on public debate on U. S.-British naval needs, realization that they cannot force Washington treaty revision by rush tactics, and the reasonable spirit exhibited by the technical committees. July 2 From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (53) Information that if the British are disinclined to reduce their excessive demands for 75 cruisers, of either 7,500 or 10,000 tons each, American delegation intends to say that it believes the British should publish their figures, together with their justification therefor, and state quite frankly that it was impossible to come to an agreement, thus leaving the entire matter for general agreement in 1931. July 2 To the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (26) 63 64 64 65 65 66 69 Instructions to advise British that no proposal which sets total cruiser tonnage figure to be arrived at before 1936 at more than 400,000 tons would make conclusion of an agreement worth while; request for comment on Secretary's intention to consult Canadian and Irish Legations as to any demands for excessive tonnage increases; inquiry regarding possible discussions with the Japanese Ambassador. July 4 From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (58) Advice that British have already been informed of unacceptability of their figures as real limitation, and opinion that neither inquiries to Canadian and Irish Legations nor discussion with Japanese Ambassador would be advantageous. July 5 (147) To the Chargé in Great Britain (tel.) Transmittal of chairman's telegram No. 53, July 2, with instructions to discuss with Baldwin or Chamberlain, if thought advisable, the excessive cruiser tonnage proposed by the British. 69 70 1 THREE-POWER CONFERENCE AT GENEVA FOR THE LIMITATION OF NAVAL ARMA- July 5 From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (60) American delegation's suggestion for eventually reconciling British proposal based on numbers with American proposal based on total tonnage (text printed). July 5 From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (61) July 6 (27) Information that Japanese refuse to accept cruiser tonnage basis of 400,000 tons, that they intend to demand that British revise their figures downward, and that the American delegation has promised hearty cooperation in this demand. To the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) Conversation between the Secretary of State and the British Ambassador, in which each explained the attitude of his respective delegation with regard to the general problems of the Conference and also to the specific question of British cruiser tonnage demands. July 6 From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (63) Résumé of interview with British on cruiser question, which ended without a solution having been reached. Page 70 72 72 74 July 6 From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (64) 76 Japanese memorandum (text printed) recommending the adoption of a 450,000-ton basis for auxiliary surface craft for the United States and Great Britain, with 300,000-ton basis for Japan, and 70,000 tons of submarines for Japan. 77 July 6 From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (65) July 7 (156) July 7 (151) Belief that, although the British refuse to accept tonnage figures proposed by the Japanese, they may be induced to reasonableness by knowledge that they stand alone in demand for a large cruiser tonnage. From the Ambassador in Great Britain (tel.) Opinion that pressure on Baldwin or Chamberlain will probably be unproductive of results; willingness, however, to impress on them six specific points showing the unfavorable reaction on U. S.-British relations if the British persist in present policy at Geneva. To the Ambassador in Great Britain (tel.) Desire that Ambassador discuss situation with British on basis of his suggestions. July 7 From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (68) Japanese intention to submit their proposals formally to executive committee and to express determination to abandon Conference if agreement for lower tonnage figures is not reached. July 7 From the Chairman of the American Delegation (tel.) (69) Suggestion that, if break-up of Conference appears inevitable, a private conversation of the chief delegates be called at which a general statement of U. S. position may be given and plans may be made for a public statement of the case of each power, in order that public may have information on which to base study of the issues involved. |