Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-14

Inc committee report salu large
cruiser and submarine programs
were planned abroad adding:
Competition Is on Again
I'm othe words, competition is
on again in the single direction to
which the unratified agreement,
tthe Washington naval treaty.,
does not extend, and If it be al
lowed to go on unchecked, the
purse strings again must be re-
laXed and this government, like
all others. will be constrained to
launch a new program to the ex-
tent necessary to keep us at least
abreast of any Of the other
powers"
President Harding was not con-
suited by the committee with rela-
ton to its limitation conference
request.
The project for negotiations ap-
parently came as q surprise, even
to naval officials. It was origin
ated by Chairman Kelley of the
naval appropriations sub-commit-
tee.
The chief reason prompting Mr..
Kelly to propose a new naval con-
ference was understood to have
been the light cruiser program rec
commended by the navy general
board. No mention of this is in
cluded in the published copies of
committee hearings on the bill. The
program urged, however, as neces-
sary to keep the United States navy
ON O. parity with OF. Jr navies in
cruisers, included sixteen new light
cruisers, within the 10,000-ton size
Limitation Of the Washington treaty
and to cost s16S,000,0O0.
Administration Off c a ] 8 who
were closest to the Washington
arms conference deliberations ex-
pressed the view tonight that there
appeared little likelihood of success
for new negotiations to limit, in
accordance with the "5-5-3,' or
some other ratio, the size Of cruiser
and submarine fleets. The confer
ence, 1t was pointed out, had found
no basis of agreement possible on
these points or as to fighting air.
craft, The French position at the
conference in opposition to limit
ing submarine fleets, 1t was added,
brought specific reservation by
British delegates OF the right to
build anti-submarine craft, such as
light cruisers and destroyers with
out restriction, save as to the min
imum size of cruisers, 10000 tons,
and limitation OF the maximum
size of guns they could carry to
eight inch weapons,
Modernization Project
In addition to the new cruiser
program, the committee is known
to have been informed of the gen
eral boards recommendation that
a start be made on undermining the
pre-Jutland b9ttleships Of the navy,
the point being made that Great
Britain has already remodeled to
large extent to increase gun
range and deck protection of her
capital ships to be retained under
the treaty. The American modern
ization project would cost in the
neighborhood of $60,000,000, it has
been estimated. Lacking such re-
modelling work, American 14-inch
gun ships would remain outranged
by otherwise similar but modern
lied British ships by five miles,
navy officers have declared.
Faced with this double prospect
OF heavy naval expenditures in the
near future, Chairman Kelley
turned to President Harding for
the accepted capital ships treaty
ratio in search of a way to avoid
such outlay. The request to the
president was placed at the very
end of the 55 page naval bill. 1t
reads:
"The president is requested to
enter into negotiations with the
governments OF Great Britain,
France, Italy and Japan with the
view OF reaching an understand
ing relative to limiting the con-
struction of all types and sizes OF
and surface craft of
10000 tons standard displacement
or less, and of aircraft"
The suggestion was made by
some members OF the house that
The paragraph might be subject
10 q point OF order, and hence go
out in the house. 1t was indicat-
ed, however. that there was every
reason to believe the senate would
put It back into the bill, which.
in the shape of conference re-
port, would bring it before the
house to be voted UP or down.
II was claimed by committee