The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-11-16
FOREIGN
DELEGATES
SHOCKED
Definite Plan to Re-
duce Size Of Navies
Was Not Expected
Experts T a k e
Time to Consider

Washington, Nov. 13 (By the AS
sociated Press)-Delegates to the
arms conference had not recovered
today from the shock Of Secretary
Hughes blunt presentation yester-
day of the proposal for immediate
reduction of the fleets Of Great
Britain. the United States and ia
pan, and for a ten year naval hoh-
day.
The concrete terms of the Amer
lean plan, laid before the opening
session of the conference on limita-
ton of armaments, were still in the
hands of the naval experts Of the
other two powers chiefly concern
ed.
Pending their conclusions, no fur
Their step is probable. The spokes-
men here for Great Britain and
Japan have nothing to add to their
previous guarded comments on Mr..
Hughes suggestions. AS far as they
went, these statements We're en-
couraging and it was certain at
least that no possibility Of fiat re-
lection Of the plan existed. With
out doubt it will form the basis for
reaching whatever conclusions the
conference brings forth.
With further time for study by
interested officials of all nations,
the American plan began to stand
out today in it's true proportions.
Apparently it is far more than a
ten year naval holiday that is pro-
jected. coupled with immediate
heavy reduction of the fleets of the
three powers. Beyond that is a
third, equally blunt and direct
suggestion for continuing agree
ment, to limit the size Of battle
fleets permanently. That is what
Mr.. Hughes naval replacement
plan really amounts to.
In naming the ships to which
each main battle fleet would be cut
if the American plan for imme-
diate reduction was accepted, Sec
retary Hughes statement shows
that Great Britain and the United
States would be on an exact equal
ity in the number of battleships,
but the British would retain in ad-
dition four battle cruisers. The pro-
posed japanese fleet would be COM
posed of six battleships and four
battle cruisers, while the United
States would be content with bat
tleships alone.
This may prove significant as the
discussion proceeds, some naval Of
ficers believe. 1t appears probable
! that in proposing to agree that
both of the island powers should
be provided in equal number with
those newest additions to the main
fleets OF nations while the United
States made no attempt for ten
years at least to equip the Ameri-
can fleet similarly, the American
delegation to the arms conference
sought to convey a very definite as
surance that America, as President
Harding told conferees, came to
the discussion with no selfish pur-
pose to serve.
REIMBURSEMENT by the Z i d
States of any battle cruiser element
in her fleet, some officers said, at
once indicated clearly that the
navy was not maintained with the
deliberate idea that it might some
day think it advisable to raid the
sea commerce Of the two insular
powers or either Of them. Battle
cruisers would be invaluable; per-
haps vital TO successful prosecution
of a naval war across the Pacific.
it was said.
In the proposal that the other
two powers retain battle cruiser
souadrons, also, these observers
say. a possible concrete expression
of American recognition Of the ne
cessities in naval forces Of those
countries: Of American willingness
hat ,hey should prosecute legiti-
mate ventures over the world re-
uuiring far flung merchant routes
and employ for protection Of those
routes naval craft they thought
best suited to the need as con-
tinental power. although asserting
in this proposal the right to an
equal footing with any nation on
the seas, the United States might
not necessarily need battle cruisers
as the other powers feel they do, il
was said.
At any rate, the American pro-
posal has made fat proposition in
regard 20 battle cruisers, which. it
WAS thought. might be Very diff
cult of treatment 1T the conference
1t remains TO be seen what Japan
and Great Britain think about it.
but a long step towards agreement
on that question has been taken.
naval folk believe
The actual business Of ncgotia-
ton o! the conference Will get un-
der way tomorrow when the heads
OF delegations will meet to discuss
procedure. . subject likely to de-
vclop into one Of the most import
ant OF the whole conference. From
every one OF the interested powers
have come expressions emphasizing
that the order in which topics ap-
pear on the program would have a
significant bearing on the ability
@; the conference to move quickly
toward practical results.
To agree on the preliminary de-
tails two meetings viii be held. In
the morning the committee on pro-
gram and procedure for limitation
Of armaments. OF which the heads