Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-13
COMPROMISED PLAN
FOR CRUISER PACT
DRAWNAT GENEVA
$4,000 Tons, With 200, 900
for Destroyers, Set in
Tentative Proposal.
CALLS FOR CONCESSIONS
i BY ALL THREE NATIONS
Heads of Delegations Prepare to
Study Draft-Agreement Be-
lieved Imminent.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

BY Cable to The. star and Chicago DaiiS
News, Copyright. l?-'.
GENEVA. July 13.-Tne Junior del
hgates of the United States, Great
britain and Japan. after almost -
: hours of uninterrupted negotiations
have drafted tentative agreement
covering cruisers and destroyers. TINS
text, while it is open to some coJec-
tions and while it is not binding on
! the delegations, makes final agree
ment seem imminent.
The heads of the delegations were
echeG-,.l to meet this afternoon to
discuss the draft The correspondent
is able to d: CLOSE herewith the princl-
pal terms of the draft of agreement.
Great Britain and the United States
would have a total tonnage of cruisers
and destroyers combined of 55o,00o
tons. Of this tonnage 100000 tons
would be cruisers and 100000 destroy
erS.
Twelve cruisers would be to--l of
) 10 900 tons. The balance would be
made I'D of cruisers of 6,000 tons or
under, with siX-inch guns.
$4,000 Tons for Japan.
Japan, under a 5-5-3 ratio, would
have a total tonnage of $4,000, of
which 10000 would be cruisers and
1000 destroyers.
Great Britain would reserve the
right to continue to utilize for coast
defense old ships, which have passed
what the United States considers the
normal-age limit.
This agreement would mean that
the United States would build total
of II big cruisers and, within the ton
mage limits, as many small ones as
she liked. Great Britain would scrap
no cruisers, but would stop construc-
ton, barely begun, on four. Japan
would stop construction on nearly
$4,000 tons of new cruisers.
The United States would scrap $780,
600 tons of aged and useless destroy
ers. Great Britain would scrap 2 900
tons OF old destroyers. Japan would
build 10000 additional tons.
The draft represents important
concessions all around. The principal
remaining objections are Japan's de-
mand for slightly higher cruiser
ratio, the reluctance of the United
States to have so few big cruisers
and the reluctance of the United
States and Japan to limit smaller
with 6-inch instead Of 8-inch guns.
Similar to United States Proposal.
On the other hand, it must be re-
marked that the British total cruiser
= demand comes down to- $4,000 tons.
Reduction in the size and armament
! of smaller cruisers is Great Britain's
price for this important concession. 1
! 1t should also be noted that the
total cruiser and destroyer figure is
identical with the maximum Amer
lean proposal at the opening of the
conference, and represents in this re-
! spect a remarkable success for the
American delegation.
The problem of increasing the
| Japanese ratio is not believed to
be serious. Japan may be accorded
/ a few more tons of cruisers and
few less destroyers.
! The problem of limiting smaller
/ cruisers to 5000 tons, with 6-inch
guns. instead of 1900 tons with s.
| inch guns as the American and
: Japanese desired, is more compli-
/ Gated and doubtless will be stanchly
! opposed by American naval circles.
On the other hand, no agreement
Is possible without some give and
take. Everything considered, a final
agreement in the near future APP
pears certain.