Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-12
TEXT OF HOOVER'S
FARLEY STATEMENT

i IOWo.
1T am greatly pleased with the final
success of the Naval Arms Conference
| in London and have today telegraphed
i the delegation expressing my approval
| of the result achieved and my admira-
| ton for their patience and determine
| ton in an arduous and difficult nego-
tiation. And wish to congratulate
the delegations of the other govern
mentS for their constructive and cour-
ageous action.
"The most vital feature of its great
accomplishments for peace is the final
abolition of competition In naval arms
between the greatest naval powers and
the burial of the fears and suspicious
which have been the constant product
OF rival warship construction. 1t Will
be recalled that prior to the three
power conference at Geneva in 1927,
which France and Italy felt obliged to
decline attendance, there was naval
competition in all craft except battle
ships with constant international fric-
ton. Consequently upon the failure OF
that conference the rival expansion re-
ceived even new impulses and resulted
ill-will through the world and STEADY
drift to greatly increased navies.
Profits by Genva Experience.
"When I initiated this negotiation it
was after a critical examination, OF
the experience before and after the
Geneva Conference and a determlna-
ton that the causes of that failure
could be met with adequate preparation
and preliminary negotiations. At that
time we realized, and have realized at
all times since, that the particular set
ting of the continental nations, be-
cause of the inseparable Importance OF
land armies in their bearing upon naval
strength, together with the pontlcal
agreements that reduction Of such arms
implied, made five-power agreement
extremely improbable, as the United
States could not involve itself in such
agreements. The French and Italian
governments have shown the utmost
good will in this conference in endeav-
or, in the interest Of world peace, TO
| support the present solution Just as
| far as they could do so, and they have
! joined the present agreement IN I'M
| portant provisions.
ut is difficult to estimate the precise
| reductions in war craft tonnage which
has been brought about by this &gree--
ment because of the factor OF normal
replacement and additional tonnage
| authorized but not yet constructed.
Nine battleships are to be scrapped OF
| a total of about 100000 tons, the re-
placement of 16 or II others to be
| deferred for 6 years. The various naVies
| in the agreement are to reduce some
| 900, 900 to 100000 tons of other catego-
ries in the next few years as they be-
come obsolete, but some categorles OF
some of them must be increased IN
order to come up to the standards set.
! The net balance will be very consld-
| cradle decrease in the worlds actual
| tonnage as it stands today.
1.-THE economic importance OF the
accomplishment can best be measured
| in terms of the situation developed at
| the Geneva conference. That confer
ence broke down upon the feeling OF
| the British representatives that 1t was
necessary for them to create or main
| tain a navy Of total of nearly 1900 600
| tons. Their pre-war navy was much
| larger than this. The American dele
gates were not able to agree to this
| basis, as it implied such huge amount
| OF naval sconstruction in the United
| States that it was hopeless to expect
public support and it meant per-
| petual1y inferior navy.
Britain's Plan at Geneva.
1.-THE British suggestions at Geneva
were approximately:
81. Maintain the battleships as pro-
| vided in, the washington treaty, OF
which the British battle fleet then stood
| at $685. 900 tons and the American pattie
| fleet of $4,000 tons.
"2 Aircraft carriers as in the WASH
ington treaty at maximum OF 13o,O0O
| tons. .o
"3. A cruiser tonnage of about 45o.-
| 900 tons in 70 cruisers.
a.. Although actual figures were 1T
| tie discussed, the conversations appear
| to have indicated destroyer tonnage
of about 225,0o0 to 100000 tons ana
submarine tonnage Of about 75, OOO IONS,
or a total fleet of nearly 1,50O 600 tons
on a British basis, or 1,420,0O0 Amer
lean basis. owing to our infertortty In
battleship tonnage through the Wash
ington arms treaty.
"If this feet had been adopted as the
basis of parity it would have cost the
United States somewhere, upon d1der-
ent calculations, from 81 400, 100000 to
81 $50 0O0, 900 for requirements and new
construction to attain 1t with greatly
increased maintenance costs.
"The present agreement calls Tor
parity of American and British fleets
of approximately:
1. A battleship basis to each OF US
of about AGO, 900 tons, but no replace
mentS for next six years on either SIDE
2. Aircraft carriers as in washington
arms treaty at q maximum OF $4,000
g. A cruiser basis of $4,000 tons if
the United States exercises the option
of the same types as Great Britain, but
if the United States builds larger ratio
of the large cruisers, our tonnage would
be 1923, 900. It represents reduction OF
about 20 ships in the basis OF the Bit
ish cruisers feet.
and a submarine tonnage OF 52,70O tons
each.
Reduction Of $4,000 Tons.
"That Is a total fleet basis of, roughly,
about 100000 tons Slightly less II we
build the larger cruisers) as compared
with about $500, 900 tons British basis OF
the Geneva Conference, shows a reduc-
ton of about 364,000 tons below that
basis to the United States and Great
Britain and proportional reduction 70
Japan. In bringing this about the
British scrap four 8-inch-gun cruisers
and five battleships, while we scrap
three battleships, thus bringing about
parity in battleships which was not at
tanned in the Washington agreement:
The japanese navy, under the proposed
agreement, will amount to something
near 800 900 tons. These results are TO
be arrived at by scrapping, by obso-
lescence and by construction in some
categories prior to 1896, when a re-
newed conference is to take place.
"The cost to the United States Of re-
placements and new construction during
the next six years, until the further
conference, will be (under various est-
mates) from $550,ooo,ooo to $3.50, 00o,-
600, as compared to q sum. as have
said, of between 81 ,400, 000, 900 to 81 $780,
600 900 to attain parity on the Geneva
basis. To this latter would need be
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