The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-01-22
NAVY DISARMAMENT
URGED BY WHITE
Wilson's Peace Delegate Be-
lieves Three Powers Should
Join Conference.
HARDING SHOULD LEAD
Europe Would Not Take Seri-
ously Any Wilson Action,
He Says.
Despatch TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Jan. 81. !

NpeCfuf DtSpUtCb " NEW iohh iiHnAip'
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Jan. 81.
Henry White, one OF the American
delegates 20 the Peace Conference, in
dicated to-day in testimony before the
House Naval Affairs Committee that
he believed the most practical way to
reach agreement on naval disarma-
ment would be through q conference
OF the United states. Great Britain
and Japan, as proposed in the Senate
by Senator Borah udaho).
Inviting all nations to participate in
such a conference would bring about
meeting Of general chaos, Mr.. White
said. He also expressed doubt that re-
suits could be obtained by "an open
covenant openly arrived at"
Mr. White was confident that now is
the psychological time to take steps
toward disarmament and the United
States should take the lead. Any action
under the Administration of President
Wilson, because OF the fact that ne
leaves office March 4. would not be
taken seriously by the European ma
lions, Mr.. Wilson's peace delegate said.
An invitation extended by President
elect Harding would receive serious con-
sideration and. in Mr.. Whites opinion.
would be certain to bring results.
THE whole world he said, "is crying
out for reduction OF taxation. It can
he brought about only through reduc-
ton of armament. / believe they are
looking to the United States to take the
lead, but while / am for disarmament /
am not for our nation being the only
one to do this. Ny impression is that
the people would compel the nations to
disarm If n conference were called
Three Power Agreement.
Disarmament on q general scale. Mr..
White said, should involve the five
Powers-the United States, Great Brit
ain, France, Japan and Italy-but he
expressed the opinion that naval dis
armament should involve only the
United states, Great Britain and Japan.
ANY arrangement he continued.
That will get representatives of the ma
tons together will be great boon. An
other war would annihilate whole ma
tons and cities. 1t would be infinitely
worse than the last war. The confer
ence should exclude the discussions of
all eXtraneous q q stions.'
AS TO how any agreement that might
result could be maintained, Mr.. White
said it would be based on good faith.
He was certain that Great Britain and
France desired disarmament. Asked for
Japan's attitude, he said he could not
speak definitely. He recommended thai
the conference be held In the United
States, so that foreign representatives
could see that this nation Is ready 10
join such an agreement as soon as 1t
can be made effective.
THE general impression I got abroad
was that all nations desire to reduce
their military establishments" Mr..
White continued. adding that he saw
no objection to naval holiday" while
disarmament was being discussed
81 should like TO see the United States
equal TO any nation in sea power
when the reduction started. but ques-
lions might be raised at the conference
that would show the right of some ma
ton 20 a larger navy than the others
Great Britain. for instance. / should
think the question of the relative size
would be one for the conference TO
decide
View Disarmament suggestion.
a new scheme for disarmament in the
nature OF a substitute for the resolution
reported yesterday by the Senate For
eien Relations Committee was offered
to-day by Senator France (MdD. 1t
seeks to prevent any agreement by the
United States, Great Britain and japan
that does not look TO speedy reduction
of naval armament. particularly on the
part of those nations having the great
est naval strength and tonnage"
The France resolution then outlines q
percentage of reduction which each ma
ton TO the agreement must follow over
series of years up to January !. 1875,
with intervening reductions as follows:
A reduction of % per cent. by 1875 Of
the present strength. of so per cent by
1890 and a still further reduction by 1875.
so that at the latter date none of the
three nations shall have more than 20
per cent. of the present naval strength
of the most powerful of the three naval
nations.
The resolution further provides that
'in case such an understanding IL
reached the nations will conform appro-
priations and building plans TO such
agreement