The Washington times., 1929-02-01
EQUALITY.
WITH BRITAIN
HELD MYTH
By WILLIAM X. HUTCHINSON

A final assurance that the Senate
will enact the Administrations new
cruiser bill by an overwhelming ma
iority was given today following
revelation that Great Britain has en-
loved a 20 per cent superiority over
the United States in "first line" capt.
tai ships ever since the Harding dis
armament conference.
For the last six years the British
navv has had more capital ships, and
a 20 per cent greater tonnage in It's
total strength Of fighting dread
paughts. Thus, the conference
called to place the United States and
Great Britain on a parity in first
line" ships actually gave the British
a 20 per cent superiority.
Reed Gives the Facts
These revelations, made by SEN
ator James A. Reed (D.) Of Missouri,
virtually wiped out opposition to the
Admjnistra TONS bill. The measure,
providing for the construction of Is
new fast cruisers and monster air.
plane carrier, probably will pass the
Senate with at least 10 votes in its
favor and not more than 10 against
it.
A rather aroused Senate indicated
it would adopt the time clause, call
ing for the commencement of work
on all the IS ships within three
years, regardless Of presidential op.
position.
Reed startled the Senate by an.
nouncing that the capital ship
strength of Great Britain stood at
628,820 tons, while that OF the
United States was but 525,S60 tons.
He further startled it by announc.
ing that under the terms of the
Washington disarmament confer.
ence, the American commissioners.
agreed to this British superiority,
instead OF the 5.5-3 ratio published
to the world.
The Missourian revealed that the
inequality came through the fact
that the British computed ship ton.
mage on a different basis than did
the American naval experts. The
difference amounted to 20 per cent
in favor Of the British, and yet
both sides were allowed to compute
their own tonnage. AS a result,
Reed said, q British ship listed at
10000 tons was actually the equal
in tonnage to an American ship
listed at $4,000 tons, and that this
advantage was given the British
all down the line.
Reed pointed out this inequality
in the debates of 1922, which ac-
companied ratification of the Hard.
ing treaties. His words then fell
on deaf ears, but he resurrected his
own speech to confound the Sena-
III,
dramatic battle. Reed now has re-
vealed that, while the inequality
was explained away In the I922 de-
bates, the American naval authori-
ties now admit that he was then
exists today. His statements were
leaders.
Johnson Backs Him
Senator johnson (R.l Of California,
a staunch preparedness advocate,
praised Reeds ''farsightedness" and
endorsed his plea for prompt enact
ment Of the Naval bill. johnson
declared: II want my country strong
enough to enforce it's win instead
OF being so weak another nation
can enforce its will upon my
country"
The opposition, led thus far by
Senators Brookhart R.l of Iowa,
and Nye R) of North Dakota,
centered its activity on attacking
the bill as wasteful. Both declared
the cruisers, now proposed, would
be obsolete before launched and
that the money involved would give
far greater protection If spent on
airplanes and submarines. Both
regarded the cruiser program as an
incentive to war rather than a
deterrent.
A vote probably will be reached
late Monday when debate is limited
under an agreement entered a few