Evening journal., 1921-11-25
wnAr HUGHES PROGRAM MEANS.

IT was OF course nconceyable to Deawareans that any
radical objection to the Hughes program OF
ductions should come from the British delegation.
II is probable that Mr. Balfour and colleagues never
would have dared suggest such a plan to the United
states. as II overwhelmingly favors British naval power
The essence Of the Hughes plan in its reference to the
disposition OF new capital ships.
Great Britain is not asked to scrap single shin now
building Her building program we know IT, consists
Of four battle cruisers OF the Hood type But not stroke
Of work has been done any OF them in fact they were
authorized only last summer the armaments CON
ference had actually been called Some money has been
spent on them but only for plans
The United States on the other hand signifies IFS Will
ingness to scrap fifteen capital ships construction on
every one Of which has been started The expenditures 10
date those vessels total s2OOOOO Two OF them have
already been actually launched. They the Colorado
and Washinalon Of $1,000 tons each The former is 80
per cent complete and the latter 70 per cent finished
The state Of completion Of the other thirteen ships VARIES
but they all the way to take their places in the
American fleet in the not distant future.
In fixing his tentative program OF reductions. Mr..
Hughes has to the length OF putting side by side
tonnage consideration the four British Hoods which have
not progressed further than mere paper plan, and
American batteships far advanced construction two
OF them being actually in the water TO put il another
way i72OOO tons Of paper Hoods have been set over
against 6isOOO tons Of new American ships probably a
porated into the structure OF the vessels.
Again the United States is willing to credit Great Bri-
tain with the tonnage or ships she wrote OF the books
worthless and consigned to the scrap yard before the
ornaments conference convened These scrapped British
ships, together with certain second line ships and more
or less anquaied first line ships total an 900 tons
against that the United attempts put up
nothing that she has scrapped such as the battleship
Alabama recently used arpane target but confines
herself to second line with tonnage Of about
22sOOO tons
The British government could not nave written reduc-
ton program to its liking than that submitted by
Secretary Hughes Il is impossible that the British repre-
seniatives will do anything less than accept Il as pro-
posed when Great Britain and the United States Will be
aligned in Of definite schedule for rerench-
ment that includes certain the Japanese building
program What Japan do under circumstances
Apparently nothing but accede to the agreement into
which the United States and Great Britain have tena-
lively entered
It may be that the cyncay inclined will see an ex-
ceedingy shrewd diplomacy in the program that Secre
tary Hughes has mapped out.
In a few pungent paragraphs he has the support
OF Great Britain and placed Japan position where sh'
is compelled 10 acquiesce
II cannot doubted too that all the other member
OF the win fall with the american and Brit
sh delegates and the Japs viii find themselves alone
they seek 10 amend the plan according thei
own conceptions
Il may be diplomacy that Mr. Hughes has practced bu
ne has struck the strongest blow for world peace thai
has yet been felt