The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-07
U. s. OPPOSES
BUILDING OF
BATTlESHIPS
Stimson, Aids Will Seek to
Continue Holiday at
Naval Farley.
STAND IS MADE CLEAR
Strive to Place Limit on
Cruisers, DeStroyers
and Submarines.

BIZ United Press
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7.-Secre-
tary of State Stimson announced
today, on the eve of departure for
the London naval conference, that
the United States would seek there
to continue the battleship building
holiday and to limit cruisers, de-
StroyerS and submarines.
His announcement Of aims was
made after he and other American
delegates to the conference had dis
cuSSed the parley at g. White House
breakfast with President Hoover. 1t
was made through the medium of a
talking moving picture.
Stimson made the address before
the microphone after leaving the
breakfast. He also posed for pic
ture to be released later.
The secretary of state will leave
here late today for New York, in
advance of the other American
delegates, for a day of rest in New
York before embarking on one of
the greatest peace pilgrimages of
modern days.
The American people and the ad-
ministration at Washington stand
Solidly behind the American oele-
gates to the London naval confer
ence, President Hoover said.
President Hoover told the delega-
ton progress of the peace of the
world depends to very large de-
gree upon the success Of the con-
ference.
Colleagues introduced
The delegation will sail Thursday
on the George Washington, historic
ship that carried Woodrow Wilson
to the Versailles peace conference.
In his talk before the camera to-
day, Stirnson introduced his COL
leagues, Secretary Of Navy Adams,
Senator Robinson Dem, Ark) f,
Senator Reed CRep, Pa and Am
baSsador Morrow.
Eight years ago." Stimson said,
"a treaty was signed in Washing
ton which ended the possibilities of
competitive building Of battleships
between the United States, Great
Britain, France, italy and Japan.
Since then except for ships, then
being designed, not a new battle
ship has been built in the world
During this period of holiday from
battleship building, a far greater
sense of security has prevailed than
existed Immediately before that
treaty.
Face Opportune Time
1--WE have now come to the time
when under that Washington treaty
battleship building is about to be-
gin again, not competitive building,
but mutually agreed on building.
yet it will be extensive building
and it, therefore. seems a most op-
perfume time for the United States
to meet these same powers to see
if we can not still further delay or
decrease expenses of the battleship
fleet.
"At the same time, we shall en-
ieavor to find mutually salts
factory arrangement for limiting the
building of cruisers, deStroyerS and
submarines, and thus still further
increase that sense Of security es-
sential to international good will.
These are the purposes cf the
American delegation as it sails for
the naval conference in London and
the purposes of the delegates from
the other four countries with all Of
which we have had most friendly
preliminary interchanges.
Find Happy Medium"
"Too little means of defense gives
a nation a feeling of insecurity. Too
much gives its neighbors a feeling
of insecurity. Our object is to try
to find happy medium that will be
mutually satisfactory"
President Hoover's meeting with
the delegation at the breakfast to-
day was the last before its departure.
The breakfast was finale to long
months of preparation which beg n
before Hoover's inauguration with a
summons to Ambassador Gibson to
return here for discussion of the
naval conference. These eliminated
in invitations to the London con-
ference, which begins Jan. 81.