Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-07

conversation between the governments
OF Inc United States and Great Britain
tnaI cruisers should be grouped In one
category which, in turn, should be
divided into cruisers carrying 8-inch
guns ano cruisers carrying 6-inch guns
ana unoer. 1t was also assumed during
Ine negotiations that the requirements
Oh tne BRUSH commonwealth would
conSlst OF total tonnage of $4,000
tons divided into so categories.
2O-Year Life Is Urged.
"A final arrangement will be gov
erned by the decision Of the Conference
regarding limitation In the size of units.
The British government proposes that
the tonnage limit of 8-inch cruisers
should remain at 10000 tons as pro-
vided for In the Washington treaty and
that there should be a tonnage limit
tor smaller vessels at about 5000 or
1OOU tons. 1t suggests that only a fixed
proportion In the latter class should be
built up to that limit and that the life
OF cruisers should be 20 years.
In regard to destroyers, 1t Is pro-
posed that the limit assigned should
be. for leaders, 1850 tons, and for de-
Stroyers, $500 tons. The maximum
size OF guns for both classes of de-
stroyerS should be S inches. The pres
ent British building program of de-
stroyerS is for 100000 tons ultimately,
but this can be reduced If the subma-
r1ne programs Of other powers are re-
duced, for it is obvious that the size and
total tonnage of destroyers must largely
depend upon the size and total ton
mage of submarines.
The government proposes the aboli-
ton OF submarines. It's experts feel
that the argument that the submarine
is an arm solely of defense was de-
Stroyed by the experience of the late
war, and that in war conditions it is
an arm Of attack. If abolition cannot
be agreed upon, the British government
will put forward proposals limiting SUBJ
marines rigidly to defense requirements.
Humanixing Is Advocated.
I'm any case it will press for limita-
ton of the submarine to the lowest
possible limit, and 1t proposes to urge
revival of the agreement signed at
Washington in 1922 but not ratified by
all the Signatory powers witch would
regulate in the interests of humanity
the use of submarines against mer-
chant ships.
I'm regard to auxiliary vessels rot
strictly entering into feet strength.
the Government proposes that they
should be specified and that each gov
eminent should publish yearly lists of
vessels of this class in commission as
laid down."
The text of Secretary Stimson's state
ment is as follows:
At the opening of the conference the
United States delegation made no state
ment of its position or of the needs of
its country beyond the historical fact
of agreement in principle for parity be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States.
We are now in a position where we
can go further. Following discussions
among ourselves and negotiations with
the British and Japanese, which have
clarified the limits of possible agree
ment, our delegation has made SuggeS-
tons as follows:
First, with Britain, immediate parity
in every class of ship In the Navy. The
gross tonnage of these two fleets is
100000 tons apiece.
Negotiations betweea President Hoover
and Prime Minister Macdonald last
Summer practically reduced the discus
sion of parity between them to the COM
paratively insignificant difference in
their respective cruiser class tonnage Of
$4,000 tons.
We propose to settle this difference
as follows: Under our suggestion the
actual tonnage difference between the
two cruiser fleets will be only $4,000.
Of the larger cruisers armed with
8-inch guns Great Britain will have Is
and the United States ID, an advantage
to the latter of 10000 tons.
OF the small cruisers armed with
6-1nch guns, Great Britain will have
an advantage Of $4,000 tons. But be-
yond this, in order to Insure exact
equality of opportunity, the United
States makes the suggestion that each
country will have the option Of dupli-
eating exactly the cruiser feet Of the
other.
Thus Great Britain would have the
option by reducing its number of small
cruisers to increase its large cruisers
from Is to Is. so as to give 1t total
tonnage of $4,000 tons, the exact
of tonnage which the United
States now asks.
On the other hand, the United States
would have the option, by reducing
is large cruisers from 10 to Is, to in
crease the number of its small cruisers
20 as to give It a total cruiser tonnage
IF 33S, 900 tons, the exact amount of
tonnage which the British now ask.
In battleShips, we suggest by the re-
iuction in numbers on both sides to
equaliZe our two fleets in 1881 instead
If in 1912. At present the British
feet contains two more YES
;els than ours.
In deStroyers and aircraft carriers
We suggest equality Of tonnage, and
n submarines the lowest tonnage pos
;ible. AS is well known, we will gladly
Uroa IN tho total aholifioV1 nf cIIhFnQ.
rineS If it is possible to obtain the
consent of all five powers to such a
and, in any event, we sug-
yeSt that operations of submarines be
limited to the same rules of interna-
,ional law as surface craft in their OPP
erationS against merchant ships, so that
hey cannot attack without providing
or the safety Of passengers and crews.
Second, our suggestion to the Japa-
leSe delegation would produce an "over-
LII" relation satisfactory to us and, we
in the past, it is not based
Upon the same ratio in every class of
ships.
We have not made proposals to the
French and Italians, whose problems
ire not so directly related to ours that
We feel it appropriate at this time to
make suggestions to them. A settle
nent of Italian and of French prob
ems is essential, of course, to the agree
nent contemplated.
The United States delegates do not
EEL at liberty to discuss any further
details in figures, and is obvious that
he announcement of hypothetical fig
Tres by others is calculated only to pro-
yoke argument.
Our delegation is in agreement on
very item of the program, and We are
n the most hopeful spirit that In CO.
operation with the other delegations
The primary purposes Of the conference,
namely the termination and prevention
IL competition in naval armament, and
such reductions as are found consistent
with national security, may be accom-
Dlished.