500.A15 a 1/535: Telegram
The Chairman of the American Delegation (Gibson) to the Secretary of State1
[Received 3 a.m.]
155. Your No. 92, August 2, 10 p.m.1a British and Japanese delegates were unable to meet us until this evening because of other arrangements and Bridgeman’s lack of instructions in regard to Japanese suggestion.
We first took up Japanese suggestion and, in answer to question as to what was meant by “authorized programs,” Bridgeman confirmed our view that this would call for approximately 458,000 tons of cruisers by 1931; that their understanding was that this would involve their stopping on completion of present construction of 10,000-ton cruisers but utilizing other available tonnage for other cruisers so that this was merely a substitution of programs and not in any sense a reduction of tonnage. I was obliged to say this did not seem to offer any real limitation and after I had thanked the Japanese delegation for their friendly effort to find a basis of agreement Viscount Ishii stated that [Page 153] the idea outlined by the Japanese delegation would not be put forward in the form of a proposal.
I then asked Bridgeman and Ishii if they had any further proposals to bring forward. They replied in the negative.
I then raised the subject of tomorrow’s meeting and outlined very fully the desirability of making a joint statement rather than separate and controversial statements. I went so far as to read them large part of my 152, August 2, 4 p.m., and last part of your 92, August 2, 10 p.m.2 Bridgeman and Cecil were unwilling to discuss any abandonment of their present plan and stated that they had the most categorical instructions from the Cabinet which had been fully confirmed in a telegram received this evening, that they must make a statement setting forth their point of view and justifying their position. I went as far as [I] could in insistence, urging the possibility of Bridgeman’s telephoning to London to indicate that a preferable method had been suggested and asking authority to refrain from making his statement but he was unwilling to do this. In view of their obvious determination to make their prepared statement we felt that it was futile to make any further efforts. We then took up the question of procedure for tomorrow’s meeting. It was agreed:
- 1.
- That I should make a brief introductory statement to be approved by the other delegations stating the progress made thus far, adding that we had reached the end of our labors, and indicating the important points with regard to which we had reached disagreement.
- 2.
- That statements should then be made by Bridgeman, Saito, and myself and in that order.
- 3.
- That there should be no debate after the statements.
- 4.
- That a joint declaration should then be read and approved by the Conference recognizing the deadlock which made it wise to adjourn the present Conference with a frank statement of divergent views and also stating that these views would be submitted to the respective Governments with the recommendation that they be carefully studied in the hope that consultation may lead to an eventual agreement.
The text of this declaration now being prepared and will be telegraphed shortly.