Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05
u. S. TO STAND PAT
ON BIG WARSH|PS
Writer Declares Tri-Partite
Pact Will Not Alter Ameri-
can Viewpoint.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

More engrossing events at home and
abroad during the past few days have
caused sight to be lost Of a highly
significant development in the inter-
national naval situation. and one of
vital interest to the United States.
Great Britain has persuaded France and
Italy to agree upon q reduction in the
size Of battleships, with corresponding
decrease In the caliber Of guns.
The principal three European naval
powers have jointly decided that war
vessels of greater size than 10000 or
%, 900 tons are not practical and
henceforth no ships in excess OF such
tonnage shall be built.
Plan Dropped In 1880.
Proposals to that effect were put for
ward for discussion at the London Naval
Conference of 1880. They never
reached the stage OF formal negotia-
lions, because the American delegation
let it be known that. from the United
States standpoint, the proposition was
not debatable. Now the British, French
and Italians have come to an under
standing among themselves on q point
TO which the United States IS known
to be unalterably opposed.
The action of the London, Paris and
Rome governments is, Of course, in no
respect binding upon this country. Its
purpose is rather. according TO WELL
informed Washington opinion. to bring
pressure to bear upon the United States
at the 1892 general disarmament con-
ference in Geneva. 1t is the apparent
design Of Great Britain, France and
Italy to confront the American delega-
ton on that occasion with a practically
united front on the question Of battle
ship reduction.
Japan FavOrs Reduction.
Japan Is believed TO favor, for eco
nomic reasons, an international agree
ment to reduce the tonnage OF capital
ships As things now stand, there is
prospect that the United States might
be isolated at Geneva If We continue
to adhere to our attitude that battle
ships Of the present size-roundly 49,
600 tons-are indispensable for Amer
ica's defensive requirements at. sea.
The Washington treaty permits a max
imum of IS 900 tons and l6-inch guns.
Secretary Stimson and his colleagues
at London stood Arm as rock for this
principle. They caused their European
and Asiatic co-delegates at the ccnfer-
ence to understand that the United
States looks upon the big battleship as
1.-The core of the feet" 1t was repre-
sented that American naval opinion
considers battleships to be the infantry
of the Sea"-the naval unit on which
the American defensive scheme pri-
marily depends.
Wide Area to Defend.
Having no naval bases scattered all
over the high seas (like Great BRITAIN
it was further pointed out by our
Spokesman at London that the United
States needs ships OF wide cruising
radius and capable of striking heavy
blows at an enemy far from American
waters. Uncle Sam. in other words, re-
quires a feet made up. as to its main
offensive force, Of fort ting fortresses.'
The news from Europe about the
Anglo-F Italian battleship-size re-
duction plan happens to coincide with
an important announcement at the
| Navy Department in Washington. As
| the result Of radical rearrangment OF
the internal construction plans of our
battleships. they are now equipped to
cruise $4,000 miles. around the globe
without refueling. The meaning Of this
far-reaching development is that. il
necessary, our biggest men-of-war are
now able to cireumnavigate the earth
without stepping anywhere TO take Oh
fresh supplies Of oil.
Obviate Fuel Bases.
Virtually, these improvements In bat
tleship design obyiate dependence upon
distant fueling bases, long regarded a.
one Of the most hazardous handicaps
from which the American Navy ha:
suffered. To carry globe-girdling sup
plies Of oil fuel requires. Of course, big
ships. Such supplies could not be con-
tanned or carried in battleships OF 10000
or $4,000 tons, such as the European
navies have just decided are the only
| practical" type.
| The battleship situation across the
| Atlantic developed. too, at also the pre-
else moment that the American naval
authorities were drawing important
conclusions from the Nays recent
fleet maneuvers in the region Of the
| Panama Canal.
| 1t was stated by Assistant Secretary
| Of the Navy ingalls, that the maneuvers
! had again demonstrated the dominating
power of the batt,eship. II was found
/ In tactical exercises, that when battle
ships are accompanied by airplanes
cruisers and destToyers. the battleship.
eventually viii gain control over giveE
| area defended only by an equal cruiser
destroyer and sirplane force.
Unless Hoover administration opinion
undergoes a radical and unexpected
change In the meantime, the United
States will go to Geneva a year hence
standing mar On the t.1 hattleshin