Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-10
j. S. TO SEEK new
BATTLESH|P TO GAIN
PARITY W|THDR|T|SH
Merely Want Privilege and
May Not Have Rodney
Type Craft Started.
BY the Associated Press.

by the associated Press.
LONDON. February 10.-The Amer
lean delegation to the Five-Power Naval
Conference today made known their
hope of being allowed to build one new
giant battleship as part of the Ameri-
can program of establishing naval parity
with Great Britain. It would be of the
Rodney type; that is, of $4,000 tons with
l6-inch guns.
It is the American suggestion that
| four of its lesser capital ships be scrap
ped instead of the three it was plan
ned originally to scrap, and that the
new giant supership be authorized to
bring the American fleet to the high
British standard, both fleets then to
have Is battleshipS.
The Americans added that the
| United States probably would not build
this ship if the privilege is granted to
them, although they wished the right
to do so if desired.
Delegation Heads Meet.
Intense activity marked the Naval
Conference proceedings with the open
| ing of the new week, which promised
| to be the most important seven days
it has seen thus far. The delegation
am, while the committee Of experts
| continued its discussion on global and
categorical tonnageS.
This morning the committee dealt
with special ships which it had been
suggested should not be included in
any scheme of tonnage limitation. Sec
rotary Stinson, head of the American
delegation, planned to confer with
Premier Macdonald at No. 10 Downing
street later In the day.
Delegations primed their guns today
for a plenary session at st. James Pal
ace tomorrow, at which it appeared
probable the first real battle Of the
conference would be launched.
The fireworks were expected to break
around submarines. America, Great
Britain and possibly Italy will propose
fend retention Of the submersible as
"the poor mans battleship" and a
necessary defensive weapon.
Grandi May Speak First.
Just who will open the attack will
be decided some time this afternoon.
| It was expected originally Prime Min
lister Macdonald would make the OPEN
| ing speech, but another report said
that Dino Grand, italian foreign min
| lister, would speak first If Italy decided
| to vote with America and Great Britain.
The defense will be represented by
Andre Tardieu, French premier, and
Reijtro Wakatsuki, head Of the jap
anese delegation. The Japanese, al
though just as firm, are not expected to
| be as loud in their advocacy of reten-
ton of submersibles as the French
| probably will be.
Frankly, neither Secretary Stimson
nor Prime Minister Macdonald has any
idea that he will be able to sound the
! death knell to the undersea boat, but
| they intend to leave no doubt as to the
attitude of America and Britain on the
subject.
Premier Tardieu will attempt to meet
this attitude halfway by proposing an
| agreement to "humanize" submarines.
Col. Stinlson and Premier Macdonald
will insist that If this craft is to remain
| as naval weapon 1t be limited as to
size and cruising radius.
While tomorrow's session at ST.
James is principally for the benefit of
the public curiosity, the submarine
question is expected to occupy the con-
ference during the entire week. Pre-
mier Tardieu might later in the day
issue statement on Frances general
viewpoint, statement which probably
would be comparable to those last week
of Secretary Stimson and Prime Min
lister Macdonald.
Figures Are Given.
| Figures for America, France and
Great Britain on submarines show that
America has 1872 of the craft with S
more building; France has So with Al
building; Great Britain has SO with 10
building; Japan has 81 with building,
and Italy has 43 with IA building.
The conference plans that the some
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