Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
NOICUT TOO GREAT
FOR i. SAT FARLEY
Hoover's Armistiee Day Text
Seen as Expressing
Delegates Views.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

ships is fairly well understood. The
United States is not willing to concede
that they should be abolished. America,
however, is ready to consider reducing
size and armament on hattleshipS,
though the naval advisers believe de-
creased tonnage would produce less
saving of money than generally believed,
while resulting in vastly deprecated
efficiency Of the battle feet.
u. S. Wants Naval Holiday.
America is heartily in favor of some
kind of holiday in battleship building
after 1881, provided ways and means
can be found for allowing the American
Navy TO catch up with the battleship
superiority the British now have
through possession of the post-treaty
battleships Nelson and Rodney. which
heavily outstrip Americas biggest bat
tleships, both in tonnage and guns.
The American delegation is strongly
minded toward battleship strength, but
as strongly conscious that the London
Conferences principal prospect OF sue
cess in terms which the taxpayers could
understand Is the possibility Of cutting
down battleship costs.
If the conference leaves the replace
ment program of the Washington treaty
unreVised, the United States. Great
Britain and Japan, by 1912. will be at
liberty to lay down. respectively, Is
15-9 battleShipS. These would cost
the American, British and japanese
people, In the order named: $500 900 600,
$500, 100000 and $360,000O00. II the
United States. in addition, builds l8 or
20 big cruisers to achieve parity with
England, another $400 900 900 or more
will be taken from American pockets.
Americans Watch These Figures.
The American delegates have these
figures conspicuouSly i'll mind. They
came here with White House inStruc-
tons to keep them in mind all OF the
time. They will not be forgotten at any
stage in what are expected TO be tedious
deliberations, due to begin behind the
aged walls of st. James Palace.
indicative of the expectations which
animate the senatorial branch of the
American delegation-the branch which
London looks upon as speaking perhaps
more directly for people of this country
than two cabinet officers and three
ambassadors-iS the following state
rnent prepared for The Star by Senator
Robinson:
In my opinion, the Senate as a body
hopefully anticipates both limitation
and reduction Of naval armament as the
result of this London conference. How
ever, parity with Great Britain is re-
garded as the logical and practical ar
rangemaot for terminating present and
preventing future competition between
the United States and Great Britain in
naval CONSTRUCTION.
Clash Is Not Seen.
mo one in the Senate believes 8
clash of arms between these two powers
Is imminent, but every one recognizes
the necessity for acceptance OF some
principle which will allay rivalry. The
United States will accept, but it will
not be proud of any treaty which es-
tablishes parity, but which accom-
plishes no substantial reduction in naval
armament
.'The present conference affords
propitious occasion for both limitation
and reduction, in that all civilized
countries recently bound themselves
through the, Kellogg BRAND pact not
to resort to war as an instrument OF
national policy and to employ only
peaceful means of settling their dis
putes. FROM the Senate's7 standpoint.
it doesn't appear wise to associate Ques-
tons Of sanctions with plans for naval
reduction and limitation
Such questions may we'll be left for
special adjustment when necessity
arises. 1t would be unfortunate should
the conference fail. because the compe-
tition in naval construction probably
would be Quickened It's my expecta-
ton that limitation will be agreed
upon and reduction in capital, ships,
cruisers and submarines probably ar
ranged. Whether such reduction shall
be accomplished by extension of the age
limit or by diminution of tonnage or
numbers or through a combination OF
two or more Of these factors, involves
details which it wouldn't be helpful to
anticipate at this time" f.'a ~
One Of the earliest problems destined
to be faced by the conference is Japan;
continued demand for the 10-lo-7
cruiser ratio. Tokios demand will en-
counter both American and British
opposition, observers believe. ''I
Copyright, ls309
FARLEY DELEGATES HOPEFUL.