The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-23
NATIONS ANNOUNCE
POLICY To RETAIN
NAVAL STRENGTH
Less Expensive Defense
May Reduce Arma-
ment Costs.
SIGNS ARE HOPEFUL
Sea Power and Foreign Rela-
lions Go Hand in Hand in
World History.
SIGNS ARE HOPEFUL

Tn three breuioHS articles dealing
1cifh the APPROACHING conference on
Limitations of dTmdmcHts an effort
has been made by The Herald to
Shozg the attitude of the curious
bozUers iHVited to take part IN the
conference and also to explain the
berPfering Far East problem.
The first article dealt Nth the
partition of China and illustrated the
different spheres of interest there.
The second explained the posttior
of Japan and the third that Of Great
Britain
II ", studying the attitude OF the
various governments who will
gather in Washington on Mo-
yember IL to discuss the question
of Limitation of armapents and
what shall be done about China and
the Far East, which is another
way Of saying what shall we per
nit Japan to have?" there is no bet
ter background available than a
review of the naval policies OF the
governments concerned.
Great Britain, from a standpoint
of tonnage and number of ships has
far the most powerful navy in the
world.
The United States Is next
Japan is third.
Great Britain is in the position
of being absolutely dependent upon
her navy, or some other form of
communication with her dominions
and possessions, IN order to get her
food and raw materials.
The United States may justly
claim that a powerful navy is nee
essary to protect her extensive
coast line on two oceans and main
tain contact with her island pos
sessions, the Philippines and
Hawaii
And Japan, of course, must keep
her navy in order to hold what has
bced coded to her, or seized by her,
in China and in Siberia
But it all must end somewhere.
English At StandstilI.
Great Britain already is nearing
the peak Of navy construction and
is now practically at standstili.
The United states expects soon to
overhaul hers and Japan is plugging
along faithfully behind the United
States.
The United States undoubtedly
has the most rapidly expanding
navy. The government has held TO
the 1915 building program of l56
warships. with the exception Of the
substitution of two airplane car
riers for eighteen smaller vessels.
Great Britain practically is at
standstin. Japan has what she
terms an SIS" program. calling for
the construction of eight first class
battleships and eight battle cruis-
eTs. France is standing still on
naval ornaments and italy, the
other power. is no longer to be
considered in the rivalry.
Each OF the governments has a
policy behind it's fleet, a policy that
has been stated in unmistakabre
terms.
~ HE General Board of the
United States Navy made this
1 report in 1916:
The navy of the United States
should ultimately be equal to the
most powerful maintained by any
other nation of the world. 1t should
be gradually increased to this poinL
by such a rate of development year
by year as may be permitted by the
facilities of the country. but the
limit above defined should be at
. tdlned not later than 1898.
"a navy in firm control of he
seas from the outbreak of the war
il the prime essential to the de-
Tense of a court Try situated as is the
United States bordering upon two
great oceans. A navy strong enough
only to defend our coast from actual
invasion will not suffice. Defense
from invasion is not the only func-
tion. of the navy. 1t must protect
our seaborne commerce and drive
that Of the enemy from the sea.
The best way to accomplish this is
to find and defeat the hostile fleet.
Cr any of Its detachmsnts at a dis
lance from our coast sufficiently
great to prevent interruption of our
normal course of national life"
Are Standing Pat.
\ resolution was passed by the
Senate on, January 25 last, asking
the committee on naval affairs to
report to the Senate whether 1t
would be practical 10 suspend the
building program OF the United
States for a period of six months
while an investigation could be
conducted as to what constitutes
modern fighting navy. That is the
Senate thought it advisable to in
OlNire into the uses of the airplane
2nd submarine
The Senate Naval Affairs Com
rlittee reported back to the Senate
On February 9 TT Is not practical
and r. not a sound policy to suspend
the naval construction program of
the United States now in progress
for a period of six months, nor at
all"
So far as can be learned from
official statements the policy of the
United States in this respect has
not undergone a change. -.
THE British naval policy is a
different one and has under,
gone many changes within
comparatively recent years. Walter
Long. when first lord of the ad-
niraIty last December. pointed out