The Washington herald., 1922-12-29
Fleet Is Rapidly Being Out.
stripped by Both Great Brit.
ain and Japan, Claim Made
LIMITATION THOUGHT DEAD
President Harding's Letter to
Senator Lodge Believed to
Prove FutiIlty of Conference
BY wlNDER. r. HARRIS.
Universal Service.

A new naval building program
to prevent the United States
from being outstripped by Great
Britain and Japan will be
brought forward at an early date,
leaders on the House committees
dealing with naval affairs fore
cast yesterday.
This action is rendered impera-
tive, it is stated, by President
Harding's indication in his letter
to Senator Lodge that it would
be futile to propose another in
ternational conference for lin
itation of war vessels of 10000
tons or less.
WILL ASK NAVY PLANS.
The Presidents pronouncement is
taken to mean that the House pro-
posal for further limitation will be
knocked out of the navy bill, or that
even should IL remain in the meas
ure, Mr.. Harding will not call such
a conference.
When the House provision def
nitely goes out of the navy bill or
the President puts an end to talk
of limiting auxiliary craft, the
House naval men said, the Navy
Department will be expected to
transmit to Congress the program
it recently laid before the Presi-
dent as vital to meet the great
building activity OF Great Britain
and Japan.
This program was prepared BY
he Navy General Board, after pro-
A I,r
intelligence officers on what other
powers included in the five-power
naval treaty are doing in the way
OF strengthening their fleets. This
secret information was presented
to the House appropriations sub.
committee which drafted the navy
bill. but instead of providing for
further new construction. the com.
mittee recommended that a new
Limitation conference be called.
Great Britain and Japan. accord
ing to this data, are not only build
ing up great fleets Of auxiliary
craft. but are moderpiEing the bat.
, tleships they were permitted to re.
! tain under the 5-5-3 ratio. It was
the flat statement Of naval experts
! that the American fleet is being far
outstripped in speed and firing
| power by Great Britain and Japan.
The General Boards recommen,
dations provided for the construc
ton Of sixteen 10.000-ton cruisers
! three mine-laying submarines; three
scout submarines, one airplane car.
rier. six gunboats, and $1s, 900 .o0C
worth OF additional aircraft Also
the hoard urged the battleships re
| tained should be remodeled at the
| earliest possible moment
WOULD CAUSE "NIGHTMARE."
The recommendations for. a new
building program would go to the
| House Naval Affairs Committee. II
was authoritatively ascertained yes
terday that should the situation
reach that point. hearings would be
started without delay
Congress will never stand b,
and see the United States out
stripped in naval power by othel
nations" said leader on tn,
Naval Affairs Committee VIII,
! ordinarily is opposed to further
building at this time. I'VE are no
/ going to permit this country {,
drop down from equality will
Great Britain under the 5-5-
ratio"
| Discussing in the House the in
formation which had come to tn,
| Appropriations Committee, Chair
man Kelley, of the naval subcom
mittee. said:
| THE information relative to tn
construction of ships not forbidden
by the treaty is sufficient to Civ
an ordinary citizen the nightmare
Representative Byrnes Oem,), o
South Carolina, a member. of tn,
naval subcommittee. basing his re
marks on the secret information
submitted by the naval intelligence
officers. said:
Great Britain is spending from
one to four million dollars on eacl
of the older ships she has retained
1t is manifest that IL we are allow
ed to keen eighteen capital ships
land Great Britain 10 allowed twenty
while Japan has twenty-five bull
and building, Of 157,730 tons, an,
Great Britain. forty-eight. Of 252 ,99I
tons. Mr.. Byrnes added:
In the matter of cruisers. MI
Byrnes pointed out that the Unite
States has none built and tel
building. Of 10000 total tonnage
while Japan has twenty-five an
building, of 157,73O tons, and Grea
Britain, forty.eight. of 252 $50 tons
Mr.. Byrnes added:
Unless within a reasonable tim
there is some hope of securin
such an agreement Limitation O
auxiliary craft, 1 certainly woul
favor authorizing the constructor
of cruisers to match the cruise
strength Of other powers"