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appreciable measure of agreement had been reached with regard to the general Convention for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments.
SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN said that, if a suitable opportunity offered, he would suggest this course at the meeting of the Council of the League.
SIR PHILIP CUNLIFFE-LISTER pointed out that if a proposal was put forward whereby the publication of information would not be confined only to Private Manufacture, but would cover Government Manufacture as well, the other Powers, represented at Geneva, would probably refuse to be a party to any such Convention, and the whole proposal would fall through.
CONCLUSIONS.
THE COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE agreed-
(i) That the Report of the Sub-Committee on the Control of Private Manufacture of Arms, Ammunition and Implements of War should be brought before the Committee of Imperial Defence before Lord Cecil's departure for Geneva (fixed for the 12th March).
(ii.) That if a suitable opportunity offers the Foreign Secretary should suggest at the forthcominig meeting of the Council of the League of Nations that the consideration of any Convention regarding the Control of the Private Manufacture of Arms and Ammunition and Implements of War should be postponed until such time as an appreciable measure of agree- ment had been reached in regard to the Convention for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments.
(C.) Proposals of the Government of the United States in regard to a Conference for the Further Limitation of Naval Armaments.
(C.I.D. Paper No. 775-B.)
(Previous Reference: C.I.D. Minutes of the 216th Meeting, Minute 7.)
MR. BRIDGEMAN raised the question of the procedure which was to be adopted at Geneva in regard to President Coolidge's proposals. He understood that the Preparatory Commission would continue its deliberations as though no proposals had been made by President Coolidge, and that either these deliberations would lead to some agreement or else would arrive at a deadlock. If a deadlock occurred he presumed that a separate Conference of the Naval Powers would be held at Geneva to consider Naval Armaments. Supposing, however, that France and Italy refused to take part in this separate Conference, he suggested that a Conference between America, Japan and England should take place in London. SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN considered that the Conference must be held in at Geneva, and that Mr. Coolidge had definitely specified Geneva as the order to show that he was not setting up a rival Conference to that which was already sitting under the auspices of the League of Nations.
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MR. BRIDGEMAN said that he was particularly anxious to avoid any risk of the Conference on Naval Armaments breaking down, and for this reason he thought it might be advisable to change the meeting place from Geneva to London.
LORD CECIL considered that the meeting of the Preparatory Commission would end in April either in agreement on a Convention or in a break-down. He did not think that there was any half-way house between these two alternatives. If the Preparatory Commission failed to reach an agreement in April then there would presumably be a general adjournment, in which case the way would be clear for the Conference proposed by President Coolidge to meet in Geneva in June. If the Preparatory Commission succeeded in agreeing upon a skeleton Convention, it would mean that a Conference would have to be assembled towards the end of the present year, when discussions would take place as to the figures which were to be inserted in the skeleton Convention. It would then be possible for any agreements as lo figures regarding Naval Armaments which had already been reached in the Conference suggested by President Coolidge to be inserted in the skeleton Convention, and, in the meantime, these agreements could be made operative as between the Powers concerned.
SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN stated that the Italian Ambassador had been at some pains to indicate that the Italian answer to President Coolidge's proposals was not necessarily final. Italy did not wish to take part in fresh conversations on Naval Armaments unless she was assured that she would be given parity with France in regard to small ships. Relations between France and Italy had been somewhat strained at Washington, and a repetition of such relations would create consider able ill-will between these two countries. If, however, Mussolini could secure a guarantee that he would be given parity with France, he would be willing to join in the Conference. He enquired whether. in the view of the Admiralty, Italy should have equality with France in regard to her Naval Armaments.
LORD BEATTY considered that Italy would be perfectly justified in claiming such equality.
CONCLUSIONS.
THE COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENCE agreed—
(1) To take note of the proposals of the Government of the U.S.A. for a Conference on the further Limitation of Naval Armaments, and the Conclusions of the Cabinet in regard to these proposals (C.I.D. Paper No. 775-B).
(2.) That the arrangements for the Conference suggested by President Coolidge must depend upon the course of events with regard to the General Convention for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments as a whole. But that so far as could at present be foreseen the procedure to be followed would be:-
(a.) In the event of a failure to secure agreement in regard to the outlines of the General Convention for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments.
The Conference proposed by President Coolidge should be assembled either at Geneva or Washington, as the circumstances at the time should indicate.
(Note. The Japanese Government has indicated that it will not be in a position to participate in a Conference on Naval Armaments before June 1927.)
(b.) In the event of agreement being secured in regard to the outlines of the General Convention for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments.
(i) The Conference suggested by President Coolidge would take place at Geneva, and any agreements in regard to the details of Naval Armaments reached by this Conference would be incorporated in the General Convention for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments as and when agreements as to the details of Land and Air Armaments had been reached and were incorporated in this General Convention.
(ii) That the agreements reached at the Conference suggested by President Coolidge would be put into operation without awaiting the conclusion of the General Convention for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments as a whole.
(2.)-CHINA.-POSSIBILITIES OF EXERTING ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON THE NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH CHINA.
(C.I.D. Paper No. 771-B.)
(Previous References: C.I.D. Minutes of the 218th Meeting, Minute 18 (A), and paragraph 3 () of C.I.D. Paper No. 764-B, which was taken note of at the 220th Meeting, Minute 9 (c).)
THE COMMITTEE had under consideration a Report of the Advisory Committee on Trading and Blockade on the possibilities of exerting economic pressure on the Nationalist Government of South China (C.I.D. Paper No. 771-B).
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