The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-03
AMERICAN
EXPERTS
6@A IA LIZA q
STAND PAT
Plans Worked Out For
Limitation of Naval
Strength Are Based
Upon Facts


arms conference to accept no mod
iacation of Secretary Hughes pro-
posed ''5-5-3" ratio of naval
strength as the fundamental basis
Of any limitation agreement was
authorirativeiy reiterated today.
The statement was backed. by dis
closura OF the facts as to existing
naval strength.
This showed Japan to have less
than the 60 per cent. status to
which the "5-5-3' plan would en-
title her, no matter what method Of
calculation vas applied. 1t showed
also that the American delegates
had been over the whole field be-
fore Offering the plan and that their
figures were correct.
Meanwhile, Prince Tokugawa OF
the Japanese delegation declared
that the statement yesterday of
| Vice Admiral Kato Of the japanese
advisory staff contending for a 20
per cent. status for Japan was
based on personal opinion" alone.
It was not, the prince said, spon-
sored by the delegation Of which
Vice Admiral Kato is not mem
Der.
Prince Tokugawa would rot state
the actual view Of the japanese
delegates as to what percentage
Japan would insist upon in feet
strength. He said the four dele
gates were determining this for
themselves, Independently of any
additional instructions from Tokyo.
He would not say whether q de-
cision actually had been reached as
yet.
While these developments indi-
Gated still more strongly that a de-
ciSion Of this fundamental question
was drawing near, the arms con-
ference itself marked time. a fur
! ther meeting of the naval experts
of the United States and Japan.
scheduled for today, was postponed
for q hours at the request OF the
japanese. The Americans were not
| informed as to the reason for this
postponement. AT Japanese head
quarters, it was said, further time
to examine figures supplied by the
Americans was needed In any
case trn naval experts Of the three
! powers chiefly concerned are
scheduled to meet tomorrow in fur
tker subcommittee deliberations
Their work can not deal with any
major factor in the American naval
plan for todays revelations show-
ed that these constitute a closed
chapter of proceedings.
The British experts have fully ac-
cepted the accuracy Of the original
American fleet estimates. The Jap
anese have been able to produce
no figures competent to challenge
successfully the American showing.
There were hints that plenary
session OF the arms conference
might be called next week. This
could not be confirmed in any au-
| thoritative quarter. 1t is known,
however, that when that meeting is
called, it will mean that the dele
gates are preparing to reach a
decision.
There is no present expectation
that the fundamental question of
the ''55-3" ratio or any other ma
jor portion will be worked out at
the plenary session. Officials clos
est to the negotiation expect that
informal meetings between the va
ricus delegates will bring about the
ultimate agreement by personal
touch. 1t will then be translated
into conference action.
1t is no secret that the Ameri-
can group expects Japan to accept
the "5-3-S" ratio. It is also equally
clear that the United States will
not accept any enlargement Of the
status offered Japan That was
clear to the most casual observer
after the American delegate. with
the exception Of Senator Under
wood, who could not be present,
again talked over the naval situa-
ton today in Secretary Hughes
office. MIR. Hughes, Senator Lodge,
Mr.. Root and Mr.. Underwood are
known to be Of one mind on this
and to be backed by the full ap-
proval of President Harding and
all administration officials.
The American group has no
doubt that American public opin-
ion fully supports the "5-5-3' ra-
ito. 1t was made clear that if the
question of national security
brought up by Vice Admiral Kato
We're considered a ratio Of even
10 10 5 in capital ship strength as
to Japan would not adequatl ly
express American needs or British
needs. 1t was for that reason that
the American plan discarded any
attempt to calculate fleet ratios in
/ terms Of national needs There
was no way from that standpoint.
il was said authoritatively to give
Japan a proportion of more than
30 per cent. OF the strength Of any
other power.
SO it was added the scheme Of
calculating in capital snip tonnage
the present existing strength Of
each Of the three major navies
and cattinS of further building by
agreement was worked out Then
to induce an agreement percen-
tage for Japan exceeding her exist
ing strength was offered by the
United States. And that was 60
per cent.
The lasic principle of the plan
is to stop where you are" it was
asserted on authority Of the Amer