Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-06
DEMANDS
! SURPRISE CAPITAL
Claim of Greater Need for
/ Cruisers Questioned by
/ Officials Here.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

British demands for cruiser strength
at the Geneva three power naval con-
ference have surprised official circles
in Washington, in view of the econ
omy arguments advanced by the Brit
1sh delegation as reasons for curtail-
ing further the size of battleships.
cruisers. destroyers and submarines.
OF what use to limit the size of in
tdividual ships if the total tonnage of
the various classes is to be so large.
officials here ask.
The British demand 70. cruiser ton
mage, fixed in first reports at 600,000
tons and now at about 100000 tons.
is far in excess of the proposal of
the United States, which recommend
ed that the total cruiser tonnage of
the United States should be from
.250. 900 to 100000 that the British
cruiser tonnage should be t,a same.
and that J2"an should have from $780,
900 to 100000, thus maintaining the
5-5-3 ratio established at the ash
ington conference for capital ships.
American officials insisted today that
the program outlined by the United
States is the real economy program
1T is admitted that each country must
determine what is needed for its ma
tional defense. But the question is
asked, too, for what purpose Great
15rltain requires so great a cruiser
tonnage. when the United States can
meet its needs for national defense
with so much less.
Geographical Claims Disputed.
The arguments advanced so fire.
aquently by British authorities that the
geographical position of Great Britain
and widely separated possessions re-
.quires greater naval strength for ma
tional defense than is required by the
Iohlted States is now disputed by
American officials.
1t Is pointed out that the United
states now has a national wealth of
more than $400,000,000, 900. 1t has a
population we'll over 100000. 1t
mas the largest export trade in the
world-S4 100000, 900. This is greater
by several hundred million dollars
IMAM the export trade of Great
Brltaln, the nearest competitor.
furthermore, the United States has
a coaStwise trade in ocean steamers
over long lines of communication.
Wnlch in cargo tons is approx.
mately 5O'per cent greater than the
foreign trade of Great Britain in
cargo tons. This coastwise trade is
nanked by naval bases of other
countries. 1t is almost as far from
New England to Alaska, via the
Panama Canal, as it is from Eng
land to Australia.
The United States has a national
wealth superior to any other country
and has foreign trade and invest
ments second to none. At the same
time 1t is lacking in the naval bases
and fueling stations which are
Great Britain's. 1t is markedly in
sIerlor to Great Britain in the mat
Ter of fast. large merchant vessels.
U. s. Needs More Cruisers.
1t would seem, therefore. that for
national defense, which includes the
defense of American commerce and
interests abroad as we'll as the cont.
mental boundaries of the United States.
this country needs really more cruis.
ers than does Great Britain. But the
British are now proposing a cruiser
tonnage far in excess Of that recon-
mended by the naval experts of the
United States.
The British proposals for cruiser
tonnage, as a matter of fact, are far
in excess of their present tonnage
plus the present building program.
This does not look like economy to
the Americans.
The hope was expressed here today
that some agreement in regard to
cruiser tonnage could be worked out
at Geneva. 1t has long been recog-
niZed that the cruiser was the crux of
the whole naval limitation question
which was to come up at the confer
ence.
The United States is far behind the
5-5-3 ratio in the matter of cruisers,
and has been outstripped by both
Great Britain and Japan in this i'm
portant class of auxiliary naval craft.
Reports indicate that the American
delegation has suggested that it might
agree to 100000 tons of cruisers for
Great Britain and for the United
States. This is 100000 tons in excess
OF the maximum figure contained in
the original American plan for limi-
tation of cruisers. Whether the Brit
ish will meet the Americans half way
in this matter is still to be determined
American Imports Heavy.
Much emphasis has been laid on the
fact that the British raise only one
third Of the foodstuffs which they
CpECTAT NnTyCE