The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-23
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
Soripps Howard Foreign Editor


Contention of the British admiral,
Lord Wester-Wemyss. that the
Washington naval conference was
IAN unqualified success for the
United States" but a great sacri-
fee and possible peril for Great
Britain, is challenged vigorously in
this country.
American naval officers. almost to
. man. will tell you that the shoe is
altogether on the other foot. And
they will quote figures to show that
every one of the powers present
Britain, Japan, France and Italy
gained more than America and
made fewer sacrifices.
America was fooled" the late
Thomas S. Butler, chairman of the
house naval affairs committee. said
TO the writer later on when this
country was trying to raise money
for some needed cruisers.
ITO tighten the burden of tax
payers, reduce and limit the size
Of navies and promote world peace
and understanding. he declared,
America called the Washington
conference and made the biggest
sacrifice of all.
U. S. Plays Dupe Role
"Yet the naval race still goes on.
We quit. but the rest of the con-
ference powers took the money they
saved on battleships and are spend
ing 1t building cruisers and other
auxiliary craft. For our sacrifices
We are rewarded by being relegated
TO an inferior, and even dangerous,
position on the seas.
obviously" he concluded, "the
United States faces the alternative
either to join in the race or find
a way to put an end to it" Which
latter task is precisely what the
American delegation to the coming
London parley will go instructed to
perform.
That America was fooled at the
Washington gathering is borne out
by the official records.
In his very invitations to the
powers, President Harding stressed
reduction and limitation of all naval
arms as a means to tighten the tax
payers burdens and advance the
cause of world peace. Later, in his
speech of welcome, he elaborated
this thought.
World Is Astonished
Then, Secretary of State Hughes,
head of the American delegation,
making this the theme song" of
the entire conference, proceeded to
lay down a table of actual figures
for reducing and limiting not only
battleshipS, but cruisers, deStroyerS
and submarines as well. So low were
his figures that Britain's chief
spokesman, Lord Balfour. publicly
stated that their generosity found
an echo in every quarter of the
civilized world"
Americas stand" he said, came
as a shock of profound surprise,
causing all to feel that new chap
ter in the history of the world re-
construction had been opened
worthily"
Three days later, after seventy
two hours Of close study and consul
tation with his delegation and with
London, Lord Balfour again rose i'll
the conference hall and announced
that the American program had the
approval of his government.
we think the limitation of
amounts is reasonable" he said. I'VE
think it should be accepted. We
firmly believe it will be accepted" "
America Is Loser
Such was the spirit of the 1921
conference. True, only capital ships
and aircraft carriers eventually were
limited by treaty but when it was
all over the general impression-at
least in the United StateS-waS that
If and when further auxiliary craft
were laid down. the spirit of the
treaty, as we'll as the letter, would
be the international guide.
Such, however, was not to be the
case. Hardly had the delegates
reached home before the building of
cruisers, destroyer leaders, and SUB
marines began on a bigger scale
than ever. Instead of capital ships.
the conference powers simply start
ed in turning out auxiliarieS-that
is. all did but the United States.
AS Uncle Tom Butler expressed
It. America felt it had been fooled
And President Coolidge, who by this
time had succeeded President Hard
ing, at first aggrieved. then alarmed,
began to figure out a way to put
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