The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-11-16
BOLD LEAD OF
UNITED STATES
CONQUERED in
Success or Failure Of Plan De-
pends Principally on Details
of the Problem.
FRANCE AND ITALY
WANT CONSIDERATION
Desire that Their Naval Ques-
tions Be Considered with
Stronger Powers.
(ey The AssoeIated Pressl

| WASHINGTON, Nov 15.- The
sweeping American proposal for reduc-
tion of naval armament became the ac-
cepted fundamental policy of the arma-
ment conference today by the unani-
nous assent OF the five great powers.
seconding the bold lead of the
United States. the accredited spokes-
men of Great Britain, Japan and
/ France rose in their places at today's
preliminary session of the conference
and one after the other declared readi-
ness of their government to accept the
American proposal in spirit and in
principle, but with the reservation OF a
right to suggest notifications of detail.
Then the problem of these details.
which everyone realizes may yet occupy
the prolonged attention of the confer
ence and involve the success or failure
of the whole plan, was referred for
preliminary examination to a commit
tee of FIVE technical naval advisers, one
from each of the big five powers.
Within this committee, first of all.
Great Britain viii ask for further re-
duction of the limit proposed on sub
marine tonnage. Japan will endeavor
to prove her right TO greater ratio
Of naval strength saasn has been sug-
gested for her. and France and Italy
viii request that their naval questions
be considered along with those of the
three stronger naval powers embraced
in the American plan.
Thus the diplomacy of the American
delegation has won its first victory In
the conference, but still finds itself con-
fronted with questions of admitted i'm
portance and delicacy whose solution is
requisite to attainment Of the purposes
for which the nations We're called into
While the technical advisers wrestIe
with the ornaments problem and the
delegates themselves continue informal
on the American plan.
the other big subject Of the conference.
the far eastern situation, win be given
its first formal consideration at an ex-
ecutive meeting tomorrow of the dele
cations Of all the nine interested ma
tons. Tonight every one of the dele
gationsA was in a waiting attitude to-
ward the far eastern questions, and I'll
any nation had a comprehensive plan OF
settlement to present at the outset, it
was carefully concealed.
The lead in accepting the principle
of the American naval proposal wast
taken in today's meeting of the con-
ference by Great Britain, whose his |
toric naval supremacy would even |
tually give way to an equality oil
strength with the United States. if the
plan became an actuality. Arthur III
Do 80
the British acceptance in a |
speech that stirred the emotion of del |
egates and spectators and started a |
in which diplomatic cards
were laid on the table in a manner
in International con- |
While the hall still echoed with ap-
plause for the speech Of the British |
statesman, the chief delegate of Japan. |
Baron Kato, was on his feet to |
pledge the readiness of the island en-
pire of the east to proceed with Sweep |
ing reductions. in her fleet. SenatorI
for Italy. and Premier |
BRAND for France. added in their turnt
a pledge Of cooperation in the pro-
gram laid down by the United states.
Mr.. Balfour alone made specific men
ton of the notifications that would be |
as the negotiations progress.
Reduction of the figure set as a maxi /
mum of submarine tonnage was the
project on which he indicated his gov- /
ernment would be most insistent. but 4
later members of the British group
the negotiations they are to /
put forward somewhat as follows:
First. Reduction of the submarinel
tonnage, the United States, Great Brit
ain and Japan would be allowed to i
maintain in the proposed limited fleets. [
The figures in Secretary Hughes pro-
posai were 10000 tons each in sub
marines for Great Britain and the
United States. and $4,000 tons for
Japan. 1t was indicated that Great
Britain would urge cutting this IN half
to $4,000 tons for the two powers, and /
/ similar reduction for Japan IN ad-
dition. the British propose TO limit the
size Of submarine units in such fashion t
as to confine them to defensive opera
tons and make them unusabIe oversee.
Second. That to protect future
knowledge and skill in capital warship
each nation retain one
capital ship building yard capable of
Continued on Page Two)