New-York tribune., 1921-01-02
Senators Assured Biggest
Fleet Tradition Will
Be Scrapped to Reduce
National Expenditures
Disarmament Plan
Given New Impetus
Story That Wilson Would
Call Conference of Ma
tions Officially Denied
By Carter Field

w ANIll4\N YIN, Jan. l.-ITedt
Britain is willing to surrender her
historic position of Mistress of the
Seas. Under pressure of her own
economic and taxation problems, par
ticularly her heavy debt, she is eager
for the naval holiday discussion
which is attracting so much atten-
ton, not only in the United States
but in Great Britain and in Japan.
Britain is not willing, however, for
the United States or any other ma
ton to have navy superior to hers.
The rock bottom point of her will
ingness to concede is that she will
agree to limit her own naval pro-
gram to a point where her navy
would be precisely equal in power to
that of the United States.
This information has been con-
veyed informally to Republican lead
ers in both House and Senate. More
attention has been paid to the Sena-
tors, not on any theory of the greater
Importance Of the Senate, but be-
cause channels of communication be-
tween the European powers and Re-
publican Senators have been freely
open for a long time, as has frc-
quently been pointed out in The
Tribune's Washington dispatches.
Sentiment Favors Holiday
This nofiicial and informal intima-
tion 81, Britain is willing to curtail
her building program so that the United
States navy will equal it on a specified
date is regarded by officials here as
Of the gre; test importance. There is
the most intense feeling in favor of
the naval holiday.
1t is not true that the President has
taken any steps in the direction of an
international conference on the sub
ject. On the contrary, high officials
of the State Department declared to-
day; they did not believe it is in the
Presidents mind at all
But the fact that Britain is willing
to give up her long held conviction
that it is imperative for the safety of
her widely scattered empire that she
have beyond question the greatest
navy of the world, gives great hope to
Senators, who for the moment are
more interested in reducing govern
nj t. expenditures thai in crafty
ing Secretary Daniels's recently ac-
uulred convictions that, without tho
Wilsc- League of Nations. this coun-
try must have ncomparably the
! greatest navy in the worl'.
Another interesting point in the in
ternational naval situation, in view Of
tie contentious Of some that the Amer
lcan navy ougLt-to be equal in power
to the combined fleets Of Britain and
Japan so long as the Anglo-J apanese
alliance is held. is that the ground IS
rapidly being cut from under the ia
vorite arguments OF those who fear
the possibilities of this alliance.
As has been told in The Tribune,
four of the important British domin-
! ions-Australi a. C1nada New Zealand
and South Africa-are in sympathy
with the United States on both land
and immigration disputes with the
japanese, and informal steps now are
ment with them early in the Harding
administration.
British Attitude Reassuring
Dispatches from London Indicate
clearly an attitude on the part Of the
British government which should oe
1eassuring to any who have REGARDED
the Anglo-Japanesc alliance as a men
ace to America.
When the Borah resolution, looking
to reduction of armaments by the
United States, Japan and Great Britain,
is taken up Monday by the Senate Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, Senator
Hitchcock, Of Nebraska, who IS ranking
Democrat on the committee, VIII ask
that the Walsh resolution for disarma-
ment also be taken up and that Senator
Walsh, of Montana, its author, be
heard in behalf of it.
The Borah resolution requests the
President TO take up with Japan and
Great Britain directly the question
of an agreement to reduce naval
armaments The Wash resolution,
which was introduced shortly prior
to the Borah resolution, contemp plates
that the President shall send repre-
sentative Of this government to be
present in a consultative way at the
meetings of the disarmament COM
mittee, which functions under the
Council of the League of Nations.
Senator Hitchcock's request canpot
we'll be refused by the committee, and
it is likely to stir up an animated dis
cussion in the committee of the whole
disarmament question. Furthermore,
it will bring to the front in an acute
way the question of whether this coun-
try should take up disarmament
through the league or otherwise
Republicans Oppose Walsh Idea
Inasmuch as it has become palmer
than ever from the recent statemen,
of Senator Knox at Marion that Sena-
tor Harding does not intend 20 use the
league as basis for working out his
international program, the Republi-
cans on the committee are expected I,
stand squareiy against the Walsh nlar
Not all OF them are enthusiastic owe.
The Bo-ah plan, and the fate Of tha
esolution is not certain. but the Re
punucans OF the committee VIII fayol