The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-14

lie conference brings forth.
With further time for study by
interested officials. OF all nations.
the American plan began to stand out
today in its true proportions. APP
parently 1t is far more than 10
year naval holiday that is projected.
coupled with immediate heavy re-
lowers. Beyond that is a third.
equally blunt and direct suggestion
for continuing agreement to limit
the size of battle fleets permanently.
That is what MIR. Highest naval re-
placement plan really amounts to.
England and America
In naming the ships to which each
main battle fleet would be cut IL the
American plan for immediate reduc-
ton was accepted. Secretary Hughes
statement shows that Great Britain
and the United States would be an
exact equality In the number of bat
tleships, but the British would re-
tain in addition, four battle cruisers.
The proposed Japanese fleet would
be composed of six battleships and
four battle cruisers, while the United
States would be content with battle
ships alone.
ms may prove as lnS
discussion proceeds, some naval Of
ficers believe. 1t appears probable
that in proposing to agree that botn
of the island powers should be pro-
vided in equal number with those
newest additions to the main fleets
Of nations, while the United States
made no attempt for 10 years to
equip the American fleet similarly.
the American delegates to the arms
on n 70 f,F oh IN
definite assurance that America, as
President Harding told the conferees,
came to the discussion with no self
ish purpose to serve.
RcIinqufshment by the United
states of amy battle cruiser elc-
ment In her fleet, some officers
snid, ut once Indicated clearly
thnt the navy was mot being
maintained with the deliberate
idea TINT IL might some day be-
come advisable to raid the sea
commerce of the two insular
lowers or either Of them. cattle
cruisers would be Invaluable;
perhaps yitai 90 successful prose-
cutiOn of naval war ncros the
Pacific, II WINS snid. In the pro-
posai that the other two powers
retnin battle cruiser squadrons,
also, these observers saw "A pos
sibie concrete expression of
American recognition of the ne
ccssities of naval forces of those
countries; of American willing
ness that they should prosecute
legitimate ventures over the
world requiring far-flung mer-
chant routes. and employ for pro-
lection of those routes naval
craft they thought hest suited to
the need. Az continental power,
although asserting In this pro-
Posnl the right TO nm equal foot
Ing with any nation on the seas
the United States might not nee
essarily need battle cruisers as
the other powers feel they do, n
was said.
Battle Cruisers
At any rate. the American pro-
posal has made flat proposition
in regard to battle cruisers which
II was thought might be very diff
cult of treatment at the conferences
1t remains to be seen what Japan
and Great Britain think about 1t, but
long step toward agreement on that
question has been taken. naval folk
believe.
The actual business OF negotiation
OF the conference will get under
way tomorrow when the heads of
delegations viii meet to discuss pro-
cedure. a subject lifeiy to develop
into one of the most important OF
the whole conference. From every
one of the interested powers have
come expressions emphasizing that
the order In which the topics appear
on the programme would have a sig
nficant bearing on the ability of the
conference to move quickly toward
practical results.
To agree on the preliminary de-
tails. two meetings will be held In
the morning the committee on pro-
gre mme and procedure for limitation
of ornaments of which the heads of
the American. British. French, Ital-
ian and Japanese delegations arr
members. will assemble to consider
the armament end of the programme.
and in the afternoon there will be
a meeting of the committee on pro-
eramme and procedure for far east
ern questions. consisting of the
heads of the delegations OF all nine
of the nations holding seats in the
conference.
Advisory Committee
During the afternoon. the Ameri
can advisory committee of 81 also
win meet, and Chairman Sutherland
will announce the personnel of the
six subcommittee whose creation
has been authorized TO facilitate the
handling of special subjects.
held, technical advisers of the va
rlous delegations will further study
the American proposals under which
tonnage figures in capital ships for
the three powers for immediate re-
duction would be. Great Britain, co.,
$50; United States. 5o0.65O; Japan,
29s.700. The list of ships to be re-
tanned by each shows that the British
preponderance over the United States
is practically all In her four battle
cruisers. In that way apparently,
the American group worked out Mr..
Hughes general statement as to the
necessity of having regard Ito the
existing naval strengths of the pow
ers concerned"
So far as battleship tonnage goes
in the retained fleets. the American
and British forces would be about
the same. around 100000. and that of
Japan just under 100000, This links
up directly with Mr.. Hughes sugges-
ton as to a replacement programme.
based on fixed tonnage for each pow
err, to apply only after 10 years OF
no building of any kind. Then. I'M
Ger the American proposal. Great
Britain would be allowed to maintain