The Mankato free press., 1921-12-16

~ -se5793 -
tun,ted Fse.s q s6srsl s,Ssdsas.1
WashinsoA Il Decsnber H.
Lfmftation q ffrnamehf with allied
issues was nearing reality in the arms
conference today with only two OBJ
stacies in the way The first Is how
to reallign the British navy to cor
respond to the rsadjustment under
the 5-5-3 ratio to adjust its self to
Japan's navy with the retention of the
Mutsu.
The second is frances demand
made through one Of her official
spokesmen for the theoretical belief
that she should have q navy greater
than Japan's.
The Big Three Agreement
Agreement has been reached by the
big Three" on the Pacific fortidica-
ton question by determination to
maintain the status quo. This does
NOT apply to Hawaii, which is consid-
cred part of the Americon coast de-
dense and Australia, New Zealand and
the islands of Japan, but 1t does,
however, block tie naval experts
plan to make the island of Gua4l an
American stronghold.
z 4r4Aa y 30k - q <<&leI
navy than Japan was taken to be aa
attempt to break up the big Three:
and po>sibly creRte = Big follr. &5i||
( - ID y q /. 1o1I5 to-
The French ratio VIII be takSn ufj by
the committee Of fifteen for adjudica
ton probably before night. Mean
time it is thought that the general
agreement viii involve the retention
<Af hn M7Itsy ffv To hn rofo
of the Washington and Colorado by
the United States; the. building of
great vessels perhaps not Hoods"
by Great Britain; and the scrapping
at the bottom in all navies to Offset
the great gains made by the addition
of modern ships in addition to the
original Hughes limits.
Awaiting Technical Details
IAssociated Press Dispatch.l
Washington d. c., December 15-
With formal announcement of a
complete agreement between Great
Britain, the United States and Japan
on basis for the latters' acceptance
of the "55-3" naval ratio awaiting
an adjustment OF technical details
alone, the focal point Of the arms
conference negotiations appeared TO
be shifting more and more today to
the Far Eastern discussions.
No sessions was scheduled today for
the Far Eastern committee which ad-
Journed yesterday subject to the cah
Of Chairman Hughes after China had
requested that the treaties resulting /
rogated and consideration OF the
question had been promptly objected
to by the Japanese delegates.
How the conference viii steer its
course on this new element OF con- !
troyersy in the Far Eastern negotia- /
tons was the subject Of serious de- |
liberation by the other delegafiuns /
today as they prepared for 9. decizion !
probably at the next meeting ss to
whether the subject can properly be
taken up under tfe conference
agenda-
Japan's request Cor retention Of the
battleship Matsu in Substitution for
an Older ship as q basis for f1er COM
plete acceptance Of the naval plan
having been definitely agreed to BY
Great Britain and the United States.
with provision for equivalent conces-
nouncement OF the accord was held
back today soley by technical details
yet to be determined regarding the
British equivalent.
Proposals Are Presented
Alternate proposals relating to the
5-5-3 ratio, as worked out apparently
oNcI uiSuL " n6VA experts were
presented today to Secretary Hurhes.
Mr.. Balfour and Baron Kato, which
indicated, according to delegation
spokesmen that no formal axre .ment
had been reached by the big three.
The proposals, submitted as
means Of balancing the naval ratio to
compensate for the retention Of the
sNutsu by. japan would permit Great
Britain to build two super Hoods.
scrapping four old dreadnaughts ard
one battle cruiser of the tyne of the
Tiger and Repulse, or to huiId trn
hattleships Of the Royal Sovereign
class, scrapping of four dreadnaughts,
but no battle crrtse-s.
Calculating Tonnage Problem
1t was stated that these alterna-
tives are combined with all sorts of
questions, as to the method of calcu-
lating tonnage, whether by the Amer
lean or by the British or Japanese
systems.
The increase of the American ton.
mage by $4,000 would admit of SUBJ
stitution of the super dreadnaughts
Colorado and Washington for the old
er battleships Delaware and North
Dakota. Japan Is retaining the Nut
So would scrap the Setsu.
The substantial effect Of the adou4
tion Of either of these alternatives
would be to retain the naval ratio OF
-, - o. - \ t3sa