Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-13

Question of Disarmament
Hinges on Britain, Japan,
Italy and France.
BY PAUL SCOTT MoWRER.
BY Gable Dispatch to The Star and III
Chicago Daily News

American plan with him to London
and its essential features have been
communicated to Paris, Rome and
Toxic. Unless, however, President
Hoover obtains from these capitals ac-
ceptance in principle of the American
ideas by August l, the American naval
project for IS new cruisers, which Mr..
Hoover, on the authorization of Con-
gress, has been delaying, will automat-
ically enter the phase Of building.
1t is reported that Mr.. Hoover, who is
personally directing the American dis
armament moves, will be much diSap-
pointed if the foreign replies are too
greatly delayed. The question is ex-
tremely complex and the foreign naval
experts are all busy trying to find out
exactly how the American proposals
affect their respective countries, so that
thus Tar no answer is reported near
completion. 1t is probable that France
or Italy will reply before Britain, and
the indications are that Britain is Still
far from ready to reply.
Ambassador Gibson, who represented
the United States at the Geneva ne
gotiations, conferred all day Tuesday
with Gen. Dawes in London regarding
this situation, at least so it said.
The American plan is still secret, but
as far as it is now understood in Eu-
rope it can be summarized thus:
Summary of Plan.
The Washington ratios for the five
principal powers would be maintained
in all categories. All categories would
be reduced and limited, but the meas
ure, instead of being in terms of merely
tonnage, as heretofore, would be in
terms of equivalence units, supposed 10
represent actual fighting strength.
The navieS would be considered In
five categories-q ships, 90 aircraft
carriers, 90 cruisers of 10000 to 5000
tons, "a cruisers of under 5000 tons,
and go submarines. Units allowed but
not utilized in one category could be
utilized in another. Thus the French,
if they wanted fewer capital ships than
allowed and more submarines, could, on
one years notice, apply for spare CAPT.
tai ship tonnage in submarines. The
new equivalence measure, or So-called
"yardstick," would be applied not only
within categorieS, but as between diff
erent categories thus enabling these in
terchangeS. The yardStick would be
based on displacement. gunpowder, age,
armor, speed and cruising radius.
At one time the tendency in Wash
ington was TO consider also naval bases
and merchant marine as auxiliary to
the fighting fleets but these seem to
have been dropped as unnecessarily
complcating calculations, the more so
as the British about that time suggested
that nearneSs to fuel supplies could
also be profitably considered.
Despite these Simpliflcations, the
yardstick remains highly complicated
~,
plicated-yet it is undoubtedly fairer
measure of fleets than anything here
tofore suggested. In any case, on these
principles, the United States stands
committed to readiness to accept 'un-
limited reduction" in any or all cate
gories.
How 1t Works Out
How does this new plan work out.
particularly with respect to cruisers? As
far as is known. one 10,000-ton cruiser
with eight-inch guns would be consid-
cred equal to two 6,000-ton cruisers
with siX-inch guns. In the big cruiser
class the United States would have a
slight superiority in the large type,
Britain in the smaller type and in num-
bers. In this class the United States
would have total of perhaps 100000
tons and Britain $4,000.
For the European powers particularly
France and Italy, the problem would be
aggravated by the new German cruiser,
which some think will revolutionize
naval building. 1t displaces only 10000
tons and ranks as a cruiser and yet it
carries 11-inch guns is we'll armored
and has a speed of only 25 knots. This
is sufficient to enable it to get away
from most capital ships while at the
same time theoretically it can smash
any existing cruiser of the same size.
British experts believe the general
tendency will be. to build smaller and
smaller Warships for reasons of economy
and without great loss of efficiency.
Their plan remains what it was at &C.
neva, namely, to reduce the size and
gunpower of all large categories. Never
theless the British tendency seems to
be to accept the American plan in prin-
ciple with certain notifications but not
until they have fully studied it.
The British Labor government feels
that President Hoover is tackling the
problem from the wrong end 1t be-
heveS that the first issue to be settled
is that of neutral rights In wartime or
the so-called freedom of the seas. It
would like to utilize the kellogg pact
TO persuade the American Government
to consent to an embargo against pact
breakers and at the same time would
engage never to use the blockade for
purposes of British national policy.
Macdonald Eager for Discussion.
Premier Macdonald is eager to dis
cuSS the whole question with President
Hoover and is ready to go to Washing
ton for the purpose. The Labor gov
eminent, it is said, will countermand
the construction of six new cruisers
and will abandon work on the Singa-
pore naval base, but, on the other hand,
Mr.. Macdonald sees no great good in
the Baldwin project of dismantling, as
friendly gesture toward the United
States, the naval bases in the Carib-
bean.
But President Hoover is reported to
fear many difficulties are in the way of
the conference or even a discussion on
the freedom of the seas. Exactly what
is the American policy in this respect?
As neutrals, the United States claims
complete freedom of the seas, but as
belligerents in 1861 and again in 1917,
the Unites States enforced something
like the British principle of block
ade and right of search. In any case
such a discussion would almost GER
talnly reopen the League of Nations
begins with actual naval reduction
quently President Hoover prefers to
controversy in some forms. Conse-
and economies and leave the sea law
and league issues until later-hence,
apparently, his hesitancy with regard
to sending to Mr.. Macdonald a formal
invitation to come to Washington for a
tall at the present time.
Speedy Settlement Is Urged.
However, what the British and Amer
lean governments appear to be thor
oughly agreed upon is that the naval
controversy must be settled speedily
and settled upon the basis of an or
ganization for peace and not an organi-
zation for war
In case the experts fail to agree, both
M. AGanIAor,nld and E1tncidarat IInnuar