Evening star., 1924-07-30


the impression" said. Capt. SchoAeld's
has stated officially that by their inter-
probation Of the treaty il would be IL
legal for us to change the elevations as
proposed. No such contention has ever
been put forward by the British ad-
-iniraity, the. British government or any
official of any government signatory to
the treaty.
Fonnd mo- Breach.
THE general intent Of the treaty was
to grant each power the full right to
keep step with material and scientific
progress, subject only to specific limita-
tions. Nowhere is there to be found
spirit of the treaty which contraveries
this right"
This statement was accepted in
Congress as representing the mature
judgment Of the general board. after
careful study, The House, after a
sharp hEht, however. eliminated from
the bill the item for gun elevation,
but if there has beeH since then any
change in the Navy Departments pol
icy. or in the attitude of the admin
istration. nothing on the surface has
revealed 1t.
The section OF the Washington
treaty under which the British con-
part three. which deals with the rules
for replacement Of capital ships in
accordance with the replacement ta-
bles elsewhere provided. Ia this part
occurs the statement that no retained
capital ships shall be reconstructed
except for the. purpose of providing
means of defense against air and SUBJ
marine attacks. Rules to govern such
cluding sentence of this paragraph
reads:
Pact Governing Changes.
No alterations in side armor. in
ealiber, number Of general type of
permitted except: % In the case of
France and Italy, which countries
within the limits allowed for bulge
ELSEWHERE provided for in the treaty.
and the caliber Of guns now carried
on their existing capital ships so as
not to exceed Is inches (406 mill
meterso, and (2) the British Empire
shall be permitted to complete. in the
case of the Renown. the alterations
to armor which have already been
commenced, but temporarily suspend
ed
The Navy Department proposals for
changes in the older capital ships in
cluded modernization for protection
against aircraft and submarine at
tack. as well as proposals to alter the
elevations of the main battery guns
50 as to permit these guns to be
effective at ranges of $4,000 to 10000
yards. demonstrated in the war to be
tain conditions.
The British viewpoint on the ques-
ton OF gun elevations has been be-
fore the Washington Government for
some time, but no hint of it has been
permitted to reach the public. Sig
nifcance may attach to this circum-
stance as indicating that the Wash
ington Government does not regard as
serious the situation created by the
British Interpretation of the treaty
Think Britain Stands Alone.
Ofieials who have Kept in touch
with the matter seem satisfied that
neither the japanese nor the French
governments, and probably not the
Italian government, would share the
views expressed by the British II the
question ever came to a vote among
the signatory powers. They believe
that the British would be outvoted
to l.
There is no specific provision in the
treaty detailing how a disputed in
depreciation Of its terms might be
settled, bat It IL provided that during
the life Of the treaty, in the event
that "the requirements Of the national
security Of any contracting power In
respect of naval defense are, in the
opinion Of that power. materially af-
fected by any change of circum-
stances, the contracting powers will.
at the request Of such power. meet
in conference with view to the re-
conside ration of the provisions Of the
treaty and its amendment by mutual
agreement"
A further provision is made that the
United States, 1fter consultation with
the other powers, shall arrange for 4
future conference ''in view Of possible
technical and scientific developments"
the conference to convene as soon as
possible after the expiration Of eight
years from the coming into force of the
present treaty.
So far IS known, however, tho British
have not PROPOSED any new conference
on the gun-elsvatiop question.