Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31
NAVAL BUILDING TO TAKE
SPOTLIGHT In CONGRESS
America, After Delaying Program Pend
ing Geneva Farley, Becoming Disillu-
stoned as Conference Nears Collapse.

| OF the Omaha type. of $500 tons, have
been built since 1928. The remaining
cruisers now in the possession of the
United States are % in number, built
between 1894 and 1908 and considered
obsolete. Fifteen of them are out of
commission and the remaining seven
are doing duty as gunboats. This
gives the American Navy q total pa.
per strength of 80 cruisers-two build
Ing, SIX appropriated for, ten built,
fifteen obsolete and out of commission
and seven obsolete, but still in COM
mission.
This cruiser strength may be COM
pared to Britain's present strength
of 81 cruisers built, building or appro-
priated for, the oldest of which was
completed in 1911.
In tonnage, Great Britain has 41S.
40 tons of cruisers built, building or
appropriated for. America has I55,
600 tons built, building or appropria.
ted for. This $4,000 tons, however,
does not include those cruisers (22 in
number) built prior to 1908 and now
considered obsolete.
Since the signing of the arms con-
ference treaty February s, 1929, the
United States has laid down or appro-
priated for 10 vessels, 6 OF which are
YangtZe river in China.
Strength of Other Powers.
The other powers, in the same time,
have built as follows:
Great Britain has laid down or ap.
propriated for SIS vessels Of all classes,
II Of which are light cruisers of the
first line, and Ia of which are cruisers
of the large 10,O00-ton class.
I2n2n has laid down ot
ated for 123 vessels, Of which is are
light cruisers of the first line and the
majority of the remainder are Of sub
marine destroyer type.
France has laid down or appropri.
ated for 100 vessels, seven of which
are light cruisers of the first line and
the greater proportion of the remain
der are destroyers.
Italy has laid down or appropri-
ated for 81 ships, 2 OF which are
light cruisers of the first line.
While the other nations have been
active in the construction of destroy
ers, the United States has laid down
no deStroyers since the war and the
type now in use is considered to be
fast approaching the age when they
Will be unable to compete with the
newest and most modern destroyers.
At the end Of the war the United
States had in commission some 800
destroyers. OF these, 112 are now in
commission; 172 are laid up and 25
have been transferred from the Navy
to the Coast Guard.
Similar Condition I'm Submarines.
Some such similar condition applies
in submarine construction, the United
States being considered behind in the
development of this modern instru.
mert. A program of shipbuildinE.
therefore, If, the opponents of naval
building are, heard, must include not
only cruisers but destroyers and sub.
marines. 1t is to be doubted, how
ever, even IL the Geneva conference
fails, that the United States will enter
on any competitive shipbuilding pro.
gram.
According to dispatches giving the
views of President Coolidge on the
naval conference. his chief objection
to the British proposal, aside from
technical considerations involved, has
been the fact that IL adopted it would
necessitate larger navy than this
country needs, if parity with Great
Britaln was to be attained. The cues.
ton of the extent of the American
naval building program in view of the
apparent failure at Geneva is leading
10 conjecture already as to whether,
without an agreement with Great
britaln, this country will attempt
building program which would not be
favored through agreement with
Great Britain. Congress will be looked
to for the answer this Fall, while
those who have been holding out
against naval building may lose their
trump card. which consisted in the
possibilities Of agreement at Geneva.