The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-12-20
FIVE NATIONS AGREE
FOR LIMITED NAVIES
FIRST GREAT STRIDE TOWARD
SETTLEMENT OF QUESTION
United States, Great Britain and Jap
an Complete Negotiations and
France and Italy VIII Follow

Washington, Dec. 15.-The first
great stride toward five power trea-
ty limiting naval armaments was tax
en- tonight when the United States,
Great Britain and Japan announced
a final agreement On the American
5-5-3 ratio.
The next step-elaboration of the
agreement to include France and Italy
was initiated Immediately within
the new naval committee Of Is, in
which all five powers are represented.
Agreement among the three major
naval powers was reached on the bas-
is of a '.status quo" understanding as
to fortifcation of the Pacific islands,
at the same time the United States
and Great Britain acceding to Japan's
desire to retain her newest battleship,
the Mutsu, with proportionate changes
in the American and British fleets.
While the principles of the original
American proposal were not impaired
by the triangular agreement, the set
clement contemplates the following
changes in fleets to be retained:
Great Britain: Twenty ships in
stead of %, with an aggregate Of
5S2,O5O tons instead of 604,450 tons.
United States: Eigteen ships as or
iginally proposed, but with an aggre-
gate of $4,000 tons instead of 50O,-
$50 tons.
Japan: Ten ships as originally pro-
posed, but with an aggregate Of 313,-
800 tons instead Of 299,700 tons.
Al End of Ten Years
At the end of the ten year building
holiday the fleets will stand under the
revised detailed plan as follows:
Great Britain, 525, 900 tons; United
States, $4,000 tons; Japan, $4,000
tons.
In announcing the three power
agreement to the committe Of Is the
following official explanation was
made:
''This arrangement between the
United States, Great Britain and ia
pan is, so far as the number of ships
to be retained and scrapped is con-
cerned, dependent upon suitable
agreement with France and Italy as
to their capital ships"
Strict silence was maintained by all
members of the committee Of Is as
to what transpired after the an
nouncement had been received, an Of
fetal statement saying merely that
negotiations for the five power agree
ment and treaty were proceeding.
The French group is understood, how
ever, to have begun presentation Of
Frances desire for a capital ship ton
mage equal to that of Japan IN the
revised figures, $4,000 tons This
presentation was not concluded ana
will continue when the committee re-
assemblies tomorrow.
In refusing comment as to commit
tee proceedings, spokesman for one
group said that "discipline of the
state department" must be observed.
There were intimations in both
French and Italian circles that a long
discussion might be necessary before
a complete five power understanding
could emerge for action by the con-
ference itself.
While events as to the naval ratio
agreement were moving swiftly, nego-
tiations for Far Eastern settlements
were at standstill except for the
separate Chinese-Japanese discussion
of Shantung. A settlement between
the two groups is not yet in sight, and
no date has bee. set for resumption
of other Far Eastern conversations.
In consolidating the "status quo
agreement as to Notifications into the
projected naval limitations treaty,
separate consideration of that matter
has been avoided with resultant saw
ing of time.
Big Ships Saved
The revised three power naval
agreement, in addition to overcoming
the most difficult stumbling block in
the pathway of the conference.-the
relative strength of the American and
Japanese fleets has saved three huge
new superb, eadnaughts from the
scrap heap. They are the Japanese
Mutsu and the American Colorado and
Washinton, ships of the same "oost
Jutland" design, embodying lessons Of