Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
u. S. TO PROPOSE
. BATTLESH|P DELAY
Big Saving by PoStponing
Replacement to Be Urged
at Right Moment.
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.
BY Radio to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright, 1890.

~NA@A4A@e
BY Radio to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright, $780,
LONDON, England, January u.s.
Save money-prodigious sums of money
by postponing the replacement of
battleships and prolonging their life
That viii be the advice given to the
five-power Naval Conference at tAe risk-
moment ny the American delegation.
One makes no apology for returning
again and again &C the battlesnip, be-
cause it, and not the cruiser, was what
really brought about this conference. n
is true the Macdonald-Dawes and the
Macdonald Hoover conversations were
mainly over cruisers. Great Britain
and America sought an understanding
about combat parity in cruisers and a
limitation of their number on some
agreed basis with the other naval pow
erS. They were searching for economy
and non-competition in the cruiser
field.
But battleship programs of replace
ment following the 10-year holiday as
provided for by the Washington treaty
were the actual stimulants Of quick ac-
ton. That holiday ends in year or
two. If nothing were done in the mean
while Great Britain, Japan and Amer
lea, not to mention the lesser mari
time powers, would be up against ex-
penditures for naval ornaments (poS-
sibly of doubtful value) economically
outrageous and morally disastrous.
Governments Show Concern.
No government, East or West, could
face the prospect complacenvly. Japan
was particularly unhappy over the pos
sibilities. Great Britain viewed them
with little less concern. And President
Hoover resolved that no such foolishnesS
as the laying down Of is 55,000-ton
American battleships in the next IL
years at a total cost Of $3.50, 900. 900
should be committed II he could md
means of prudently preventing 1t.
There you have the chief reason why
the five-power Naval Conference is now
sitting in London. What then is to be
done about this troublesome phenom-
enon of the sea-thiS bulky, naughty,
floating marine bully" as the French
statesman, Raymond Poincare, might
call It? Prime Minister Macdonald,
rhetorically anyhow, has proposed its
abolition" He hardly can be taken
literally about that. His meaning prob
ably was that Great Britain would be
ready to abolish the IS, 000-tonner-to
put something smaller in its place.
Japan would follow Great Britain on
that line. Japan very greatly desires
lighter battleShips with reduced gun
calibers And America may not prove
obdurate to the argument in favor of
those reductions.
Not every American here would say
so. Some Of us are stiff-necked Some
of us say, I'VE will not give up the 35,-
hat cit
uation as it stands suits US. It really
gives us, having regard for geography, a
distinct maritime advantage. If Great
Britain proposes q change we simply
shall say no and the matter will be
dropped" That sounds deflnite-aS If
| it were the last word-but it probably
Is not. President Hoover hardly can
be suspected Of having a closed mind
on the battleship question.
Questions to Be Asked.
Why build any battleships of any
size at present? Why not extend the
10-year naval holiday indefinitely? Why
not let the battleship situation remain
as it is and turn some $4,000, 000, 900
or their equivalent into productive en-
terprise with its immeasurable benefits,
material and moral, instead of into
swollen battlecraft with their fragrant
mockery Of such instruments as the
Briand-Kellogg pact?
These are the questions the Amer
lean delegation is going to ask, and an
argument will 60 with the questions.
The argument will sound something
like this: For eight years the battle
ship situation has been satisfactory.
There is no reason to expect that it
would prove less satisfactory for q con-
siderable time. To begin battleship re-
placement now would be not only costly
but lacking In common sense"
1t seems almost certain that that
argument will carry the day. 1t GER
tainly will please Japan, and how could
1t fail to please Great Britain?