Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-16
NAVAL RACE LAID
!. TO BRITISH STAND
U. S. Program Result of
Failure of ArmamentS
Farley.

British craftsmanship either has
made a monumental blunder that viii
cost the empire dearly in increased ex-
pense or the British cabinet has fore
seen clouds of trouble on the horizon
of peace.
For the recommendation of Presi'
dent Coolidge that Congress authorized
a five-year expansion of the American
Navy, with an expenditure of at least
S725. 1000. 900, is the direct result OF
the failure of the conference on limita-
ton of ornaments called by the United
States at Geneva last Spring.
1t was I'm no spirit of pique or even
challenging rivalry that the new pro-
gram was decided upon. 1t took quite
n wrench of fiscal conscience for an
administration committed to economy
TO turn toward what may prove the
biggest schedule of naval construction
the United States has ever had. AL
ready 1t is the largest program since
1916, but ii may grow even more ex-
tensive as the United States strives to
place its fleet on an equality with
Great Britain, and to keep it there.
Expires I'm 1891.
But in 1881, the present treaty on
Limitation of battleships will expire.
japan is at present in no condition to
naval men have won the cabinet in
London to the view that British needs
especially on light cruisers cannot be
diminished.
Mr.. Coolidge expressed his view of
the Geneva conference in his annual
message, but it is reliably reported
that his irritation over the failure OF
the British to come to an agreement
with the United States at Geneva has
been unconcealed.
Accepting, therefore, the British
viewpoint as sincere, the President
has felt he has no alternative but
large building program. He has ex-
pressed the opinion that apparently
there will be no limitation except at
increased expense. The thought back
of that remark is that the British
view OF the 5-5-3 ratio is such that
the United States must first build her
program upward to an equality before
she will be in a position to get favor
able response to her idea of limitation.
The fact that the British naval men
did not want to scrap vessels already
built, compelled the United States to
construct a sufficient number of war
ships to obtain a basis of equality.
Release Clause Asked.
1t will be noted that the administra-
ton is asking for a provision in the
law permitting it to suspend construc-
ton whenever an agreement is reach
ed with other powers for the limita-
ton of naval ornaments. This is done
to show that the United States will
at any time scrap her naval program
IL, the British will come to an agree
ment with Washington on light cruis-
ers and auxiliary craft, and also con-
sent to an extension of the present
treaty arrangement on battleships.
But while waiting for the British
viewpoint to change, the responsible
ity of having a navy inferior in size
to Great Britain was placed squarely
on the Coolidge administration, and
the President reluctantly agreed to the
only course that seemed to him to be
safe for national defense. 1t takes
long time to draw up plans and speci-
fications and to complete the con-
struction of Is light cruisers, de-
stroyers, 80 submarines and aircraft
carriers.
The United States is in a better po-
sition financially to carry the burden
of increased expense than is Great
Britain. British naval experts all along
have claimed that they wanted the
United States to be on plane OF
equality.
There is no limitation on light cruis-
ers and auxiliary craft. Great Britain