Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-01
arms PARLEY
AT CRISIS ON
NAVAL RATIO
Meet Seems Imperiled By
Request Of Japanese
Admiral

Washington. d. c.. Nov. 3o.-(By Tha
Associated Press)-Experts of the
big three" onavaI powers agreed to-
day that they could not reach an ac.
cord on the basis. OF calculation to be
used in measuring Japan's existing
relative naval strength. They gave up
the task and turned the problem back
to their respective arms delegations.
Upon Its solution hangs the funda.
mental principle of the American pros
posal. the 5-5-3 capital ship ratio. The
experts were substantially In agrees
ment as to the accuracy OF estimates
OF naval strength of each power origs
inally submitted by the American con.
ference group of the American plan o<
including all ships actually under cons
struction in arriving at the ratio was
followed.
Japanese experts however insisted
that was not the proper basis OF calcu.
ation proposing instead to disregard
all ships now building by either pow
er in determining relative naval
strength. The plenary delegates of the
two powers will continue the discuss
sion from this point. Firm determina-
ton of the American delegation to in-
sist upon the 5-5-3 ratio and inclusion
of ships building in any estimate OF
naval strength was reiterated tonight
Since no call for an executive session
of the. conference delegates or for
further meetings of the experts was
issued it Vas assumed was an attempt
to settle the point by informal inter-
changes between the American and
Japanese delegates was In prograss
and might last several dnys.
There was n strong feeling in Amer
lean and British circles than Japan
ultimately would accept tho American
method of calculation and the 5-o-3
ratio not insisting on a 10-10-7 ratio.
This was based on the conclusion of
the British and American experts that
the Japanese naval officers had been
unable to show any sound claim to a
20 per cent status on tho basis OF
figures they have prcsented. There was
expectation however that to offer by
ratio would be coupled a condition as
to an agreement on naval bases In the
Pacific.
That question has not been injected
into the conference.
II is known that In two weeks OF
discussion, the subcommittee of naval
experts have not touched on any other
point. Such items AZ the ten year holi-
day submarines. proportion allotments
OF tonnage in auxiliary craft were de-
fcrred until the capital ship ratio
problem WAS solved.
The arms conference still stands TO-
night so far as its major objective
tho naval agreement-goes at that
point. In Japanese circles pleas to sup
port the Japanese claim for 70 per
cent ratio were put forward but they
were based largely on questions of ma.
,ional security and not on claims a.
to present strength of the two navfes.
The only compilation of figures pre-
sonted to support tho 10 per cent esti-
mate was that already authoritative
ly rejected by the American dclegas
ton exclusion OF all ships under con.
struction from the calculation and in-
ciusion by Japan of predrcadnaughts
over 20 years old.
While there was no vote taken today
In tho subcommittee OF the experts.
British and American groups were in
full accord that, the Japanese proposal
was not sound and that II constituted
question OF policy not OF fact. For
the American delegation tho situation
was described authoritativelv as an
agreement of the experts as to points
OF difference. Thesc include minor
questions relative to percentage OF
completion of ships under construction.
whether battlcships over 20 years old
can be included In estimates of
strength of modern navies and similar