The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-11-16
DRASTIC
NAVAL
REDUCTION
American Proposal
Contenplates T e n
Year Holiday in
Building and Junk
ing Of Many Ships

Washington. Nov II (By the AS
sociated Press).-More drastic and
far reaching than the most ardent
advocate of disarmament dared to
hope. Americas proposals were
suddenly laid before the arms con-
ference today at it's first session by
Secretary Hughes.
A ten year naval holiday is the
proposal in short. and the United
States. Great Britain and Japan
shall scrap 66 capital ships aggre-
eating 1,S7S,043 tons.
Within three months after the
conclusion of an agreement, the
United States would nave IS capi-
tai ships; Great Britain, %, and "a
pan, ten. The tonnage Of the three
nations. respectively, would under
such a plan be 500,C50. G04,450 and
299.700.
Ships. when 90 years old. might
be replaced under the plan. and
the replacement scheme is 100000
tons for the United States. 100000
tons for Great Britain and 100000
tons for Japan. No replacement
ship could exceed $4,000 tons.
The United States would scrap 80
capital ships aggregating S43,740
tons; Great Britain. 19 aggregating
5S3,375 tons. and Japan, II aggre-
eating 44S.92S tons.
The figures include old ships to
be scrapped, ships building or for
which material has been assem-
bled
characterized by Baron Kato, the
chief Japanese delegate, as very
drastic" but probably suitable as a
basis for discussion. and by Mr..
Balfour, head Of the British dele
gaticn, as "a statesmanlkie utter
ance. pregnant with infinite posi-
bilities anu most hopeful Of salts
factory results" the American pro-
posal. concrete and detailed, fell
on the opening moments Of the
great conference like a bombshell
The foreign delegates were stun
ned No other word describes their
feelings.
The principal features Of the
American plan proposed:
That for not less than ten years
competitive naval building cease as
between Great Britain, the United
States and Japan.
That all capital ships building Or
planned be scrapped and a few re-
Gently placed in the water be de-
stroyed within three months after
ratification of the agreement.
That the older ships Of each fleet
be also destroyed, reducing the
British force to 60 battleships, the
American to 13 and the japanese
to ten, each ship to be retained be-
ing specifically named.
That during the agreement no
capital craft be laid down except
under a detailed replacement
scheme included in the proposal
which would provide for ultimate
equality Of the British and Ameri-
can fleets and for Japanese force
at 60 per cent. of the strength Of
either Of the other two.
That all other naval craft be SIM
ilarly provided for in the same ra-
ito, specific figures for aggregate
tonnage in each class being laid
down.
That naval aircraft be disregard
ed in the scaling down processes as
a problem incapable of solution
owing to the convertibility of COM
mereial aircraft for war purposes
That no naval building of any
character be undertaken in any of
the three countries on foreign ac-
count during the life OF the agree
ment.
That no capital ships hereafter
laid down exceeded $4,000 tons.
That the life of battleship shall
be fixed at 20 years and that ships
to be replaced be destroyed before
the replacement vessel is more
than three months passed compile
ton.
That no battleship replacement
whatever be undertaken for ten
years from date of the agree
ment
That no combat craft be acquir-
ed except by construction and none
be so disposed Of that it might be-
come part Of another navy.
That regulations to govern con-
version of merchant craft for war
purposes be drawn up. because of
the Importance of the merchant
marine lin inverse ratio tc the size
of naval armaments.'
Those are the outstanding fea
lures of the sweeping challenge Sec
retary Hughes presented to the
other naval powers. There was
complete detail covering every
phase of the question. but the es-
sence of the proposal lay in this:
that the United States offered to
20 far beyond what she asked Brit
ain or Japan to do. viewed from
the absolute financial losses involv-
ed The whole American big ship
building program is on the stocks.
while Great Britain has no capital
ships under construction and the
Japanese eight and eight" pro-
gram is as ye. largely on paper.
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c. c. & O. RAILROAD
cIyCt JNnD NAN