The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-11-26
Navy For
Defense Only
Secretary Hughes Based Prop
osition on Idea That Navies
Should Be For
Protection

Washington, Nov. IA (By the AS
sociated Press s).-L:ii.;tation Of the
worlds navies so tha; ;hey will be
adapted for defensive purposes only
is the fundamental motive which
inspired the proposals submitted
to the armament conference by
Secretary Hughes, it was learned
tonight from authoritative sources.
The proposals were based, it was
explained. on the proposition that
navies should be SO restricted IN
gun and man power that they
would not be used for offensive pur-
poses.
The conception of defensive ma
vies, it was stated. produced the
American formula with limitation
of capital ships as the primary ha-
sis and subsidiaries Of such ships
the minor factors, subject to adjust
ment through exchange of views Of
the naval experts of the powers.
With the primary consideration
that of providing for defensive ma
vies, the American delegates in de-
fining the proposals now before the
conference, were said to have
adopted the present + e la V e
strength of the three great naval
powers as the only feasible basis
for easy agreement. The propos-
ed limitations of capital ships for
the three powers were regarded as
sufficient for respective navies OF
defense. The American delegates
were reported to have rejected as
bases for consideration the cues
tions of territorial possessions, their
extent and whether they were scat
tered or collected. They also were
said to have rejected, as imprac-
tical in considering a defensive
| navy, the question Of mileage of re-
spective coast lines.
1t was made known that the
United States by virtue of its hav-
| ing the most extensive naval build
ing program, felt itself in a position
to make the definite proposals
| which were laid before the con-
ference The American delegates
said that under the circumstances
the United States has primary
| interest in naval building and COM
petition. They considered, it was
said, that not only in present
building but in future programs
this country was definitely commit
ted to the largest naval outlay and
therefore, had most at stake in the
declaration Immediately Of a naval
holiday.
Tn Far Eastern questions, the
United States was said to face a
different situation for whereas the
question Of naval limitation was
! held to be primary one for
America, problems of the Far East
were regarded as not so vital as
perhaps to some other countries
For this reason. it was indicated
| that possibly the American dele
gates would not take so definite an
/ initiative on this subject when it is
reached by the conference.
The capital ship formula in the
naval program was said to have
been adopted with the idea not only
that subsidiary arms Of the navy
! could be easily and more definitely
limited but that it offered a tan
gibie basis for enforcement. Capt.
tai ships, it was pointed out, could
not be built quickly and hardly sec
/ reilly in violation of any agree
mcnt which might be reached.
No attempt was made in the
American proposals to limit devel-
opment Of aircraft, it was> said
among other reasons because il
would have been difficult if not i'm
/ possible to insure observance of any
such agreement. 1t would be near
ly impossible, it was declared, for
any check to be kept on airplane
engine construction while the mat
ter Of ecuipping ali airplane engine
with wings was said TO be one OF
only few weeks as compared with
years for completion Of capital
| ship