Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-14
Proposal Comes as a Result
of a Virtual Agreement Be-
tween Britain and U. S. on
Cruiser Strength Equality.
FRANCE, JAPAN, ITALY
MAY ACCEPT INVITATION
japanese Naval Minister Says His
Nation Welcomes Move, While
News of Conference Meets With
General Satisfaction in Paris.
Building Holiday to Be Sought.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
AS the result of a virtual agree.
ment between America and Great
Britain upon the Fundamental
principles of equality in cruiser
strength, a general naval diSarma.
ment conference is in prospect fol
early December.
So successful have been the ne
gotiationS with the London gov
ernment which began with the in
ception of the Hoover and Mac
Donald regimes, that such par
ley, to be attended by Japan
France and Italy, as well as tho
United States and England, is now
definitely proposed.
Admiral Hyo Takarabe, japanese
minister Of the navy, today told the
Associated Press correspondent in Toxic
that the news of virtual Anglo Amer
ican naval agreement which would per-
nit the early convocation of an inter-
national conference to consider lin1ita-
ton and reduction Of fleets, was most
welcome in Japan.
France Is Favorable.
An Associated Press dispatch from
Z
France, italy and Japan to join Great
Britain and the United States in a ma
val conference was Received here with
satisfaction, but without surprise"
The London Post, according to Asso-
ciated Press, was quoted as taking a
dissenting view of the proposed confer
ence, declaring; 3,
The British people are nervous about
these disarmament negotiations and
k1,fc
measuring the British navy with yard
stick, nor the precipitation-g with which
Mr.. Macdonald has Sushed into the
subject" k
The Post is considered a big Navy
advocate and suspicious of any move for
limitation of Britain's sea forces.
Assuming that the conference will
take place, the United States, among
other important propositions, intends to
in the construction of capital ships be
extended from 1891 to 1896. BY 1886
it is expected that the way will be open
to further curtailment of battleship ton.
mage, leading possibly to the elimtna-
tion Of this type of vessel as fighting
unit. The proposal presupposes the
calling of another conference In 1886.
Single Difference Looms.
As oficially outlined here, but sim
gle difference of opinion now stands
in the way of a compelete Anglo Ameri-
can accord upon the problem of cruiser
parity. This concerns some 30 900 tons
of cruiser strength and the question of
whether or not they shall be embodied
in three vessels carrying eight-inch
guns or the proposition favored by the
British that this tonnage comprise four
or five smaller vessels with six-inch
guns.
In this question is involved the fun
damental difference in the naval re-
quirements of the two nations that long
has stood in the way Of an agreement
on cruiser parity and general disarma-
ment. Great Britain, with widespread
coast lines and sea lanes to protect and
numerous refueling bases, wants small
cruisers. The United States, on the
other hand, due to its comparative lack
of bases, requires larger cruisers with
their correspondingly greater steaming
radius. ...f
It is understood that no attempt will
be made to reach an agreement on this
one remaining difference until the De-
cember conference. The possibility OF
President Hoover and Prime Minister
Macdonald attempting to settle 1t when
the latter visits Washington next month
is regarded as very remote.
Reduces Estimated Tonnage.
In the course of the recent nego-
tiations Great Britain has reduced her
estimated cruiser tonnage requirements
from the 100000 figure. which she set
as q minimum at the tripartite con-
ference of 1927 to $4,000. In addition,
the London government has agreed to
/, limit itself to IS cruisers carrying guns
of more than inches, necessitattng
stoppage of construction on three TO-
OOO-ton vessels now being built.
It is understood that the United
States is to have larger number OF
1O.O00-ton cruisers, possibly 18, IN ad-
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