New-York tribune., 1921-02-05
Butler Announces That
Conference of Nations
Will BE Held Soon ON
Initiative of America
Sims Says Allies
Will Back Move
3Admirals atHearing Rec
ommend Building Air
plane : Carrying Ships;
Would Speed Program

prom TIC Trsoane's woshimatoa Barcas
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4. - With the
s,ese tonight OF an all-day round
t2ble discussion between the great
minds of the navy, including half q
aosen rear admirals, members of the
General Board of the navy and mem
bsrs of the House Committee on Naval
Affairs, the Congressional conferences
Oh Disarmament were practically ended.
Before the gathering was adjourned
Chairman Butler announced that the
United States would call an interna-
sionsl conference to discuss reduction
IL armaments.
Mr.. Butler said later that he quoted
10 authority in making the announce
,aent. de added that he has talked with
President-elect Harding and "others
conyersant with the attitudes Of Great
Britain and the otner nations" and that
he 4is confident tnat a conference will
BE called IN the near future"
The navy chiefs all urged that in
sae event this country enters upon such
sh International agreement the present
huilding program be completed before
ornament construction is suspended.
Sims Gives His Views
ldaairal Wnliam S. Sims, COM
mander in cileif of American naval
gpt. slons overseas during the war,
Tho was the first witness to testify,
sid the committee that he believed
Great Britain and France would be
quick to respond to an invitation from
this government TO discuss disarma-
ment.
ea,Ffe neople on the other side" said
4Gmiral Sims, "feel an impeiling neees-
tiEy 70 decrease the expenses to which
thay heretofoYe have been put III the
natter Of armaments.
tI was IN intimate contact with Off.
Gals Of foreign governments during my
stag in Europe, and conferred with
Lbyd George and other prime minis
Eers, with ministers Of marine and
naval chiefs and officers.
aThese things were continually dis
eassed The common remark was that
tahen we pet through the war we will
all he pretty stupid if we do not find
some meth I'd of getting along without
scat expenditures for ornaments
A"Everybody knows how much money
sfe British have spent OH their navy,
and they don't want to go into building
again if they can avoid it,
With Admiral Sims before the com
s.ittee were Rear Adm raj R. E. Coontz,
chief OF naval operations; Rear Ad-
tniral Bradley A. Fiske, retired, and
Bar Admirals Henry 7. Mayo, W, L.
eodgers, r, II. Jackson, A. 7. Long,
Charles j. Badger, chairman of the ex-
erative committee of the navy general
hoard; Major General John A. Lejeune,
canmandant of the Marine Corps, and
General Mitchell, chief of the Army
Ar Service. Of these, formal state
,aeats were made by Adm rails Sims,
Yadger and Fiske and General Mitchell.
Three Admirals Unanimous
In their testimony the three ad-
aairals were unanimous in advocating
az International conference but they
sere dubious as to complete success.
.Ihey proposed, along slightly varying
Eaes, that z ccmprom Sc agreement or
eauslization of armament programs
flight be reached.
After several hours discussion of the
Feasibility Of universal d sarmament
me conference branched off TO dis
cQssion of the relative merits of the
salrplane and battleship. Opinion
snong the navy experts was divided.
admirals Sims and Fiske contended
nat the development of the airplane
mas now reached point which threat
ems TO some extent the value OF the bat
ueShip, while Admiral Badger reiter-
sEed the claims for the eayital ship
made a few days ago by Secretary
pssniels an and the general board.
Ine supporters of the battleship as
she basic fighting unit made conces-
ssVn 70 their opponents in that they
yssnea gsuu IN urging that the one grentest
saips. >'''t : y ing
9shsirman Butler prompted this dis
Continued on page three)