The Sneedville news. (Sneedville, Tenn.) 191?-19??, 1922-05-05
Conference May Agree on Naval
Armament Reduction Plan
Within a Few Weeks.
HUGHES PROGRAM APPROVED
Suggested Minor Notifications Are
Being Diseussed-china Pleads for
Recognition as independent Ma
tion-Leaoue Council Gets A.
ter the Serbs-Procress on
Tax Revision BtlI.
By EDWARD w. PlckARD.

TT APPEARS that the prophets In
i Washington were all wrong. The
great conference seemingly In going to
reach and sign an agreement an limlto-
lion Of naval armament without waiting
10 settle the problems Of the Pacific
and the Far East. This tendency In
u result of Secretary Hughes down.
right action In laying before the CON
ference In Its first session the Amer
lcnn proposal as To navles. Briefly
TINT proposal Ii that the United
States. Great Britain and japan agree
to suspend naval construction for ten
years, and during the succeeding ten
years build only for replacement that
all uncomplctcd capital ships aud
many other specified capltai ships he
scrnpped nj once; that the aggregate
capital ship tonnage he limited Ia 800
OOO each for England and America,
and 100000 for Japan: that the sea
power OF the three nations be main
tnlned on this bnsis. There ARE other
features Of the program. but every
one Is familiar with II by this time.
The conference. and the world. were
nj first nstoundcd by this unexpected
laying Of the American cards an the
table, and then the plan was greeted
with loud and universal acclaim. The
delegates of the other nations could
not, II they would. refuse Ia indorse
II, and ut the second open session
Great Britain. japan. Italy and
France. formally accepted Il "in prin-
ciple." with minor notifications.
These, ns set forth then and later,
were ms follows:
Ivy Great Britain-Iimlt size and
tonnage ~ submarines; permit con
structlon Of one capital ship n year
during tcn-ycar period Ia retain ship
yard facilities: pcrmlt retention OF
more HIGHT cruisers and gunbonts Ia
police the high seas: reduction In
number uf naval ship building yards.
Ivy Jnpan-lncrras of Japan's ma
val strength To ~ per cent ~ British
and American: cessation of consiruc-
ton Of naval hnses and new fortifica-
lions IN the Pacific.
I,y France allowance az eight cap
Ital ships to safeguard French col
nnirs.
Ry naly--Ailowance ~ six capital
ships To- protect Italian interests.
4 committee. of which col. Thco-
,lore Roosevelt IL chairman. set To
work nj once to study the plan and
proposed notifications. AMI 10y the end
10 the week IL was predicted an agree
mcnt would he reached within two ar
three weeks. Among the American
experts there was considerable "pp"-
>Itiun to the British Suggestions.
aud the Engli~hmen dr"pped the idea
~ "ne haiilr>hIp year
Inran'S proposition that there he m
more naval bases or foriificutiunS con
siruc'rd In the Pacific was expected.
and perhaps proves bit awkward
for the United States u means the
abandonment of work and plans in
the philippines. Dutch IIarhor aud
clsew herr which have been considered
m"st necessary for the safety of our
possessions In the Pacific " not for
iha. ~ oar Pacific cuaSt. nut u Mr..
Hughes general program l. accepted
hy the other powers q would seem
the United States cannot well dccline
Co ac,rpt this plan 81 japan. In the
ship scrapping proposal America has
bern nsoSt unsslfish and perhaps she
ran afford 10 be A. generous In other
matters
XITHEN the time came Co put for
w ward plpnx for settlement ~