Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-18
III NAVAL HOLIDAY

Much disappointment was felt in
this country when it was found that
in spite of the Washington agree
ments for the s~crapping of big
dreadnaughts by all the signatory
powers in that agreement u own
naval appropriation bill was just
about as big as ever, and would be
quite as large, if the naval author
tiles could have their way. France
is largely responsible for the fact
that each nation signing that agree.
ment is left free to build all the
light cruisers they wish to build, and
reports would indicate that they are
all busy increasing their naval
power along these lines. One great
object in the agreement was to
lessen the tax burdens for naval
preparation. In that respect 1t
would seem that the naval disarma-
ment was a failure. The great
powers are not disarming as far as
their navies 60. They are simply
changing the character of their
naval power to meet the lessons
drawn from recent experience in
bombing and naval warfare. The
Springfield Republican commenting
on this development in relation to
Japan says:
"The British naval expert. Hec-
tor c. Bywater, believes that the
agreement reached at the Washing
ton conference is leading not to a
naval holiday but to a diversion of
naval effort into somewhat differ
emit channels. He has been making
a careful study of the revised naval
plans of Japan, which is taking steps
to keep the shipyards busy, substi-
tuting cruisers, destroyers and SUBJ
marines for the Cancelled battle.
ships"
That within the four corners of
the treaty there is room for unlim-
tied naval expenditure has from the
first been frankly recognized by
all experts. The breakdown of the
submarine negotiations left the
powers free to build as many as
they liked Of all other craft except
capital ships and airplane carriers
Not only submarines but destroyers
and light cruisers can be construct
ed ad libitum and since cruisers are
now being made to carry one or
more airplanes ample room is left
for competition for control of the
air."
Japan has always attached great
importance to the fast light cruiser
and already has a large and excel
lent fleet of these vessels. For the
past six years she has been building
them at the rate of three a year. In
1920 provision was made for IL of
them to be constructed by 1928 as
part Of the eight-eight program;
with battleship construction out Of
the way the cruiser program is to
be accelerated and the IL new vesl
sells of this type will be ready sew
eral years earlier than had been
planned. Increased effort is also
being given to the building of de-
stroyers, submarines, oilers. colliers
repair ships and other naval auxili-
aries and it is expected that when
the 1920 program has been pushed
through at full speed other orders
will be gwen"
For this course Japan has a plau-
sible reason in the need of compen-
sating the shipyards for the loss in
CURED by the scrapping of battle
ships. Much Japanese capital is in
vested in the shipbuilding industry
and with the present stagnation of
world trade there is no need for
building new cargo-carriers. Yet
even if the motive for this feverish
acceleration of naval building is
purely economic, its effect on other
countries must none the less be dis
turbing."
"The types upon which Japan is
concentrating its energies are pre-
cisely the types which naval mod
ernists' would build in great num-
bers. Not only do they represent,
in the opinion of some eminent au-
thorities, the main stream of future
naval development, but their pres.
ent value is enormously increased
by the fixed ration in capital ships
which makes it possible for azy
nation to have an overwhelming
fleet of ~battleships. In case of war
no battle fleet would be likely to
cross the Pacific. On the other
ILL