Evening star., 1922-02-04
PRESIDENT HARDING
|ASKSDATA0NNAV
Seeks Information Prepara.
tory to Issuing Order Sus-
pending Construction.

President Harding. taking time by
the forelock, has asked Secretary
Denby of the Navy Department to
ing the status Of vessels under con-
struction. preparatory to issuing an
order for suspension OF work on the
American capital ships to be scrapped
under the naval Limitation treaty.
An order for suspension Of work on
these vessels may be issued in a few
days, though the President does not
expect to take any affirmative step
toward their actual scrappins until
the naval treaty has been ratified by
all five of the powers signatory to it.
Ten Ships Not to Be Completed.
Included in the ships under con-
struction and not to be completed
under the treaty are the six 10000 Ton
blttleships and four of the six Dattle
cruisers. One ship Of the West Vlr-
ginia class, now virtually completed,
is also to be destroyed as tish:ing
unit, although this will not be done
until the limitations treaty is IN ei-
iect.
Two Of the six battle cruisers are to
be converted into airplane carriers. a
provision TO that effect having been
made in the treaty in the separate item
authorizing the retention Of not more
than two vessels of $4,000 tons each for
The purpose.
Final Decision Not Made.
Final decision has not been made
by the Navy Department as yet as to
which two Of the three West Virginia
class battleships under construction are
to be retained. The original committee
agreement in the discussion between
the American. British and japanese
delegations mentioned the Colorado and
Washington as the ships to be retained
by the United States as the equivalent
to the retention by Japan Of the Mutsu.
1t seems more probable, however, that
the West Virginia will be retained and
experts have figured that saving Of
more than half million dollars would
be made in the expense OF completion
N that case.
Conversion Of the two selected battle
cruisers into airplane carriers probably
cannot be undertaken until the treaty
has been ratified, SO that work on al!
six Of these vessels probably will be at
standstill until the treaty has been
put through the Senate.
May Ask Transfers.
1t has been indicated. however. that
the department might seek authority
of Congress to transfer sums now
available for the completion of new
battleships and battle cruisers to the
construction Of submarines and aux
iIiary craft in the building program
which are not affected by the treaty.
Among these are the ten scout cruis.
ers for which the department recent
ly sought authority to increase the
cost due to the failure of building
materials to have dropped in price I"
the extent anticipated when the orig
inal estimates were submitted.
Would Increase Cost.
Suspension of work ON c-pital SHIPS
rather than cancellation of contracts,
it was said at the Navy Department
probably would increase the cost to
the government of the settlement of
claims of contractors when tn. final
adjustment is made for the breaking
up of these vessels. This increase
would no: be equal, however. it was
said. to the expenditures necessary if
work is to be continued on the ships
during the time the treaty is under
consideration for ratification. The
rate of expenditure on construct IN
now averages about $5.0o0.oo9 a
month,
In any event the gevernment is
facing the necessity of formulating a
definite policy for the Navy. both for
the period prior to the ratification Of
the naval limitation treaty and that
Immediately following the proposed
reduction in naval strength. Presi-
dent Harding's request for intorma-
ton on the subject was ta'>cn ..e
first direct step toward the :ormuia-
ton of this policy. preparatory TO
p-a~e7t tion to Congress in 10: NAL
naval appropriation bill for tie en-
su:h5 Jv..r- e..