Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-08
U. S.-GREAT BRITAIN
NAVAL PARITY HIT
Chairman Hale Of Senate
Naval Body Opposes
Stimson Proposal.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Plain-spoken opposition to the Slim
son proposal for naval parity with
Great Britain gave rise today to the
forecast that It would encounter tur-
bulent debate in the Senate If adopted
by the London Conference.
Chairman Hale OF the Senate naval
committee. in vigorously assailing the
proposal yesterday promised that If
treaty should be negotiated along the
lines OF the Stimson offer, or, indeed,
should any treaty be negotiated, the
| whole matter will be fully threshed out
| on the floor Of the Senate and its COM
mittees before final action is taken on
ratification"
Radical Changes Involved"
The Maine Senator touched only
upon the cruiser section of the admin
istration proposal as outlined in London
by Secretary Stimson. He said that
the offer involved radical changes in
tne previous position the Navy Depart
ment had taken-that "our further
cruiser demands call for vessels OF the
maximum tonnage and armament al
lowed under the Washington treaty"
Inc senator's statement follows:
| The Stimson offer involves very rad
zeal changes in the position heretofore
taken by the Navy Department and the
/ N0O0OCo government That Ollr
further cruiser demands call for yes
sells OF the maximum tonnage and arm
treaty.
If our policy has been the correct
one In the past, and If nothing has oc-
CURED to change the wisdom of that
pollcy, then the Stimson offer. which
contemplates the building of at least
IL 6-inch gun cruisers at an additional
cost over the 15-cruiser program of at
least &5S,OO0,000. while giving us SUBJ
stantlal parity In the types of shius Al
lowed, manifeStly does not provide for
our American naval needs.
should treaty be negotiated along
Lne lines OF the Stmson offer, or, in
oeeo, should any treaty be negotiated.
the whole matter will be fully threshed
out on the floor of the Senate and It's
committees before final action is taken
on ratification. -D
II. realize fully the dificulties that
confront the American delegation in
LONDON. have hoped and still hope
mat an agreement may be reached that
VIII give us the parity that our coun-
hy oemands and at the same time will
recognize our American needs"
Accord Seems Evident.
The StimSon statement, coupled with
that today by Prime Minister Mac.
donald, was regarded in offlcial circles
mere as having pointed the way TO &C.
ceteration OF the work of the London
Conference. In some high quarters n
was said the statements clearly Showed
that the United States and Great
Britain were in agreement on the MAR
questions with which the conference i,
dealing :
Reduction Of the American and Hrit.
Ism nattleship fleets to is ships eact
within ID months after the ratihcatior
OF the London treaty would mean 1
great saving for both nations during ths
next SIX years, rs Great Britain wolllc
' decommission i've ships and the United
. States three. ''O
Immediate Parity Impossible.
J Immediate parity between the navie,
' o. the two countries, however, Is i'm.
possible, as the American cruiser feet
much inferior in numbers to that hi
the British. Under the arrangement
suggested by Secretary Stimson ths
! onlted States would have to build !
Ootal OF 20 cruisers-10 of 10 600 tons
; eacn and 10 Of 1000 tons each.
: IT now has 10 7000-ton ships and I
lO,OOO-ton ship In commission. with
/ otner 1O,0O0-ton craft nearing compile.