Arizona republican., 1921-12-15
BIG } AGREE ON NAVAL RATIO
  China Blocks Sf1antung Settlement DEMANDS TREATY ERADICATION
GREAT POWERS IN FULL ACCORD ON
 NAVY LIMITATION
IRepublIean A. p. Leased wireJ

thSpdPtSan ft. T. ACaSS0 WiEti
 WASHINGTON. Dec. 14. = Great the United States and Japan were in full accord as to principles tonight on plan of naval limitation.
 All major questions have been whipped into shape. Technical de- tails as to one phase held back an official announcement.
 The plan worked out by Secretary Hughes. A. J. Balfour and Admiral Baron Kato in joint conferences fol- lows the original American proposal except in one respect. That differ ence is the agreement that Japan may retain the battleship Mutsu in stead of the Setsu; that the United States retain the Colorado and Wash ington in place of the Delaware and North Dakota, and that Great Britain build the approximate equivalent in capital ships.
 Promulgation of the agreement has been delayed by arranging details as to the British equivalent for the Mutus. The Big Three" are in agreement as to policy.
 Conferees Eager for Settlement
 It appears that the British angle might be settled by providing that she retain two super Hoods and scrap three or more old ships in their place. That element of the plan was still to be finally decided, how ever, when the Big Three" meeting today adjourned. Further meetings are expected.
 It was emphasized that the three %~ -l~ rr.1 cord and that no minor technical. ob- lection would be allowed to stand in the way. In view of this spirit an announcement of success was viewed as to be expected at any moment.
 Should a proposal that Great Bri- tain retain two super-Hoods of the four she had ordered be advanced and found acceptable, it would be taken in naval circles as evidence oi the good relationship established during the conference. The plan is open, it is said, to technical objec- tions since the ships would be of 6 type not included in the Japan or American navies. They would com bine batteries of battleships with the speed of battle cruisers, but sacrifice something in armor as compared tC battleships.
 The super Hoods also would be be- yond the replacement limit of $500, tons displacement proposed in the American plan. That figure dealt with replacement building, however and not with ships under construc- tions. each of the three powers hav- ing a number of 10000 tonners iT prospect. Since Great Britain has already spent money on the plans ana specifications of the ships. it seemed improbable that a proposal for their retention would meet objections il American circles at least. The at utude of Japanese delegates was no known
 To Decide Pacific Naval Bases Included fin the treaty into whicl the naval limitation agreement Is t | be worked will be the establishment of a status quo understanding as tC ! naval bases and Notifications on tn l Pacific. This feature already hal 1 been approved by the Big Three. |" 1 It~means that the United State 1 abandons any thought of creating
 naval base at Guam. but exclude from the restrictions to be impose by treaty, Hawaii islands off tn coast of Japan or those in water { immediately adjacent to Australia O 1 New Zealand.
 In effect, the naval trio are i
 agreement that none but purely de
 fensive outposts shall hereafter b
 erected In the Pacific.