The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-14
DANIELS OPPOSES
TREATY TO LIMIT
& NAVAL BUILDING.
Fears Suspicion of World in
Such Agreement With
Japan and Britain.
A DANGER TO PEACE
Cannot Stop Building War
ships Until Association
Includes All Nations
NAVAL EXPERTS COMMENT
Scent Propaganda to Enable
Great Britain to Maintain
It's Superiority.
| DANGER TO PEACE
NAVAL EXPERTS COMMENT
Rgsoial Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau
WashirgtOn. ID, c., Dec. IL.

Rgecidl Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau
Washington, ID. c., Dec. u.
Proposals that the United States en-
ter into agreement with Great Britain
and Japan for suspension of naval
construction for period of five years
met most pronounced opposition from
Secretary of the Navy Daniels to-day.
That plan, emanating from British
sources. is to win the approval of
President-elect Harding to the idea
and persuade him to take up nego-
tiations with the two governments I'M
mediately after March next.
An agreement of such character, Mr..
Daniels asserted, would be return to
old time alliances which experience
amply had proved were more product
i've of wars than Of peace.
ANY suggestion of an alliance of any
three nations does not meet the ques-
ton in a way to lead to world peace or
real disarmament" declared the Secre-
tary. "Any agreements to be workable
must be made to include all free nations.
Any alliance OF three nations would be
of such a character as TO make the rest
Of the world view It with suspicion, and
we all saw what such an alliance meant
in 1914"
The Secretary said an agreement OF
the nature suggested would lead the
other nations of the world into the be-
lief that the United States, Great Britain
and Japan were forming an alliance for
tbe purpose of dominating the world
That the United States would go on
with its naval programme until II had
navy comparable with the greatest In the
world. he said. was inevitable under
present conditions. All dreams Of dis
armament we're futile, he continued, I'M
less an agreement could be reached that
would include all nations. That accom-
plished, he said, competitive navy build
ing would cease, following which the soie
duty Of each would be to contribute It's
proper quota of ships essential to the
mobile protection of the sea"
Mr.. Daniels passed then from con-
sideration of the League of Nations,
which he said could have brought about
disarmament il It had included such
policy in its programme in 1919, to an
"association" calculated to effect the
same ends.
Unless the United states' is ready to
20 into an association, not of two ma
tions but Of all the nations" continued
Mr.. Daniels, 1--WE cannot stop bui ding
battleships. 1t Is the duty Of the United
states to form such an association or
to have the greatest navy in the world"
Mr. Daniels was asked whether such
an association could be success with
out Germany and Russia. He replied:
II feel that Germany and Russia will
come in ultimately. and hope they win.
If any of the nations numerous in pop
ulation are not in any proposed asso-
citation there win be danger OF their
forming an opposition alliance, and what
has happened In The world will happen
again. The worst thing that could hap
pen 10 the world would be to go back to
the old policy OF alliances"
Evidences OF a British propaganda
were scented In the proposal by some
naval experts who have kept close
watch on the present status OF the
British navy as well as on Great Brit