Evening star., 1926-01-24

\ tation Of naval armamenis from that
which obtained in the Winter of 1927
-22, when the Washington conference took
-FOUR wears ago the United States
the way rapidly to become the greatest naval
power the world had 1t had but
TO complete The program it had laid down for
the construction of capital ships-a program
which other nation could have hoped
cessfully equal within the same tirne
Today this superiority is gone. Car ital ships
and aircraft carriers have been limited by the
Washington treaty. The ratio is o-5-31 81 81
for the treaty powers-the United States.
Great Britain. Japan France and Italy, in the
order named.
Today the United States finds that in the
matter of so,called auxiliary craft. except de
stroyers and hrst-line submarines. OF
which is limitrd by the treaty. it is far below
the ratio established for naval strength at the
Washington onference-95- -3-l.67-l.67. The
United States finds that in the matter of mod
ern cruisers. from 1000 to 10000 tons and car
rying 5-inch /" S,inch guns. and in the matter
OF fleet submarines. Great Britain and Japan
are both ahead of her
Z * x
And as matter of fact. even in capital ships
and aircraft carriers. which limited bv the
Washington treaty. the United states does not
have the fun ratio strength permitted her.
Furthermore. the other treaty powers
engaged in building programs today which tar
outstrip the programs of the I'rntpd Sta,e- with
regard to the craft limited lv he ,r.aty
In 1927 the United States waS in position
TO he generous and to give. In 1926 the United
States Is in a position to receive and to h the
recipient Of generosity.
seek further limitation Of naval armamerts.
covering the craft included in the Wash
inGton treaty or TO jump into the naval con
struction race.
The preliminary conference Iimita ton of
armaments. which will frame the program for
the conference proper is now expected in
April. At the request of the President. Coz.
gress is in the process Of appropriatinc $50, ,0cn
for Americas representatives AT this prelin-
mary conference.
Americas representatives at The conference
doubtless will demand that in naval limta lion
the ratio for naval strength. reiertei in
the agreement capital ships shall he The
ratio adopted for the auxiliary craft. This
country was most anxious in 1927 to have the
treaty then made cover all kinds of naval
craft We'll capital ships a nd aircraft car
riers. Had this been done, the problem of lin
itation Of naval armament would not TODAY
be awaiting solution.
In demandinG equal strength With any naval
power in the world and greater rargth than
manv of the powers. the United States Is
guided by the needs for national defense and
the requirements TO give adeouat" protection
American commerce and Americans through
ont the world. This country has n rast coast
line and far-lyinc possessions including tho
Panama Canal, which must he protected. 1t
has foreign commerce today which is greater
than that Of any other natior.
Great Britain and Japan have retained their
adNantace In auxiliary craft. while the United
States has given up its former advantage IN
capital ships. Not only have these sea
powers retained this strength. ElIt ihev have
increased and increasing It. lt is perfectly
true. however. that the Washington treaty
made no limitation with regard to auxiliary
craft, and these other nations have acted en-
tirely within their rights in building more such
craft. The United States has either been neg.
lieent or has waited hoping for A further con
ference in which limitation of all naval craft
might be agreed
Because of the situation aV'StinC. from
the American point of view. Washington is not
the place for the coming naval conference Let
the other countries play the host since the
host must make the proposal of sacrifice. The
United States has nothing to offer along this
line. and If compelled to play the Lost would
be in the sorry position of asking it's guests
to be generous and to give up par. of their
naval strength.
The suggestion has emanated from some
quarters that the proposed arms conference be
divided with a naval conference in Washing
ton and the conference land armaments in
Europe. But this does not a sound prop-
osition for the reasons already given.
X X
Cold figures tell the tale of present naval
strength graphically. First take the capital
ships and the aircraft carriers, limited by
treaty. The United States has today IL cap
ital ships Of 52S.S50 tons: Great Britain %
capital ships OF 5S0,450 tonnage a Of the older
ships are TO he scrapped when ones are
completed this YEAR,: japan. 10 capital ships OF