Arizona republican., 1921-11-15
ARMS CONFERENCE TRANSFERS
 REAL WORK TO COMMITTEES
Proposal Limits World Navies To
 Defensive Sizes
[RepubIIcan A. P. Leased WIrel

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14-Limita- tions of the worlds navies so that they will be adapted for defensive purposes only is the fundamental mo- tive which inspired proposals sub bitted to the armament conference by Secretary Hughes, it was learned tonight from authoritative sources.
 The proposals were based, it was explained, that navies should be so restricted in gun and man powev so that they would not be used for of fensive purposes.
 The conception of defensive navies, it was stated, produced by the Amer ican formula with limitation of cap ital ships as the primary basis, and subsidiaries of such ships the minor factors, is subject to adjustment through exchange of views of the naval experts of the powers.
 With the primary consideration that of providing for defensive na- vies. American delegates, in drafting their proposals were said to have adopted the present relative strength of the three great naval powers as the only feasible basis for easy agreement. The proposed limits of capital ships for the three powers
 were regarded as sufficient for the respective navies of defense. The American delegates were reported to have rejected as basis for considera- tion the questions of territorial pos
 sessions. They also were said to have rejected as impractical. in con-
 sidering a defensive navy, the ques- ton of mileage of respective coast lines.
 It was made known that the United TraN AH,a
 most extensive naval building pro- gram, felt itself in a position to make definite proposals. The American delegates were said to feel that un- 1 der the circumstances, the United States had a primary interest" in naval building and competition. They considered, it was said, that not only in present building, but in future l programs, this country was commit ted to the largest naval outlay and therefore, had most at stake in the declaration of a naval holiday.
 In Far Eastern questions, the United States was said to face diff | ferent situation for, whereas the question of naval limitation was held l to be a primary one for America problems of the Far East were re- garded as not so vital as perhaps tc some other countries. For this req
 son, it was indicated that possibly the American delegates would not | take so definite an initiative on this subject when its consideration 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 tangible basis | for enforcement. Capital ships. i
 was pointed out, could not be built 1 quickly and hardly secretly, in viola | tion of any agreement.
 | No attempt was made to limit de-
 velopment of aircraft, it was said | among other reasons because i1 would be difficult if not impossible tc | secure observance of any such agree
 ment It would be nearly impossible | it was declared, for any check to bt
 kept on airplane engine construction while the matter of equipping an air | plane engine with wings was said tC
 be one of only a few weeks as com ! pared with years required for com | pletion of a capital ship.