The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-11-14

U. S. Disarmament Plda Stuas
tcTeIgn delegates,
Program Calls For England to Scrap
10 Big Warshps, Japan = and the
United States sc.

Washington. Noy. l4.--DrlegateS TO
the ari;.> conference have not rtcnN-
errd from thr Shrcl< Ut Secretary
Hughes blunt presentation "l tie pro-
poS;!l I'll. ;;,4ln2,l:.it,' reduction oI the
fleets cf Great Britain. the United
States and Japan and tor Il ten-year
naval ho!'GHy
The concrete terms OF the american
plHn, laid before the opening session
OF the conference on limitation of ar
malnent. were sti!l in the hands Of the
naval experts on the other two powers
chietlf concerned. Pending their con-
cluSionS, no further step is probable.
Spokesman here for Great Britain and
Japan had nothing to add J0 their pre-
vinus guarded comments on Hughes
suggestions. As FAR a> they went.
those statements We're encouraging,
and il was certain. at least, that nc
possibility of fiat rejection of that
plan existed. Without doubt, ii will
form the basis for reaching whatever
conclusions the conference brings
forth.
With further time for study by in
trrcSIcl officials of all nations, the
American plan began to stand out in
its lrue proportions. Apparently. il
iS fa' more than Il ten-year naval hoii-
day that is projected. coupled with
immediate heavy reduction of the
fleets of the three powers. BEYOND
that is third equally blunt and di
rect suggestion for continuing agree
mrItt 10 limit the size of battle fleets
permanently. That is what Hughes
nav al replacement plan really amounts
to.
IN naming the ships to which each
main battle fleet would be cut If the
American plan for immediate reduc-
ton was accepted, Secretary Hughes
statement shows that Great Britain
and the United States would be on
an exact equality in the number Of
hattleships, but the British would re-
tain. in addition, four battle cruisers.
The proposed Japanese fleet would be
composed of six battleships and four
battle cruisers, while the United
States would be content with battle
ships alone.
This may prove more significant as
the discussions proceed, some naval
officers believe. 1t appears probable
that in proposing To agree that both
Of the island powers should be pro-
vided in equal number with these new
est additions to the main fleets of ma
ti0nS, while the United States made
no attempt, for ten years at least, TO
equip the American fleet similarly, the
American delegation TO the arms con
ference sought to convey a very def
mite assurance that America as Presi-
dent Harding told the conference,
came 10 the discussion with no selfish
purpose 10 serve.
Y. S. Proposes Big Naval Cut.
\ sweeping program for Limitation
Of naval armament was proposed by
the United States. Secretary of State
Hughes, speaking in behalf Of Amer
lea. before the arms limitations con-
ference, proposed:
/. That !; holiday in naval construc.
ton of capital ships for the next ten
years be declared by the powers
> That all capital shIpbuilding pro-
grams he abandoned.
3 That certain older ships be scrap
ped.
t. Tint general regard should be
paid for existing naval strength.
= That capital ship tonnage, not
numbers Of vessels, be the basis for
limitation.
Under the program, which primari
~ affects the United States, Great
Britain and Japan, there would be
Immediately destroyed, OF the navies
of the three great powers, sixty-six
fighting ships, built and building, with
a total tonnage Of 1,S79,043 tons.
1t was proposed by Hughes that
three months after the agreement for
arms limitation IS signed, the navies
of the three great powers, with re-
Enprr to capital ships. should he as
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