Evening star., 1932-08-27
MussOlini's Naval Policies
Are Debated by Americans

Italy's plan for decommissioning, at
this time, 81 ships of her navy is arous-
ing world interest, and comments seek
the actual motive, though not denying
Italy's claim that 1t is an economy
move. There Is also discussion of the
effect on general disarmament.
Nov comes the astonishing news
that Italy will retire practically one
third Of her navy, consisting of all her
battleships, representing 130,00 TONS"
exclaims the Salt Lake Deseret News,
which, while conceding that the policy
Is directed by need of economy" never
theless argues that "it is no less cour-
ageous and stunning to international
thought" Perceiving mixed motives"
on the part Of the Italian government.
this paper suggests that international
policy, economy. perhaps a touch of
genius that understands the need of
fear-shaken world, all combined to
formulate the present Italian attitude
toward ornaments" The Oakland
Tribune thinks that "the 'scrapping' of
so many warships would seem to make
large news for the ones interested in
the peace movement and arms limita-
tion," and calls attention to the fact that
"the ships are to be tied up, kept in
COIlUlClOll, dIlu Ilclu IcdQy uilbll IL 1S
seen what other countries do. Scrap
ping, in this case does not mean
junking; it means an economy move to
reduce personnel. All the vessels are
reasonably old, but within the age
limit"
The types Of ships scrapped interests
the Roanoke World News, which records
that lin addition to the two battleshipS
the only two now in the Italian
Navy-three heavy cruisers are sched-
uled for retirement, nine light cruisers,
twenty-five destroyers and dozen sub
marines, all within the treaty age limit"
This paper pictures Italy as proceeding
to make its own reductions by elm
mating all craft that it considers obso-
lete, or ineffective, limiting its naval
outlays only to those vessels built IN
recent years, and which 1t now conSld-
ers to be essential to its security in the
Mediterranean"
Concerning great battleships the Lin
coin State Journal remarks: "Those
great vessels. built on great eXpecta-
tions during the war, have become en-
tirely obsolete for countries which 90
not have enormous coastlines TO pa
troll and vast areas to cover. Italy, IN
the Mediterranean, with colonies easily
accessible, finds the destroyers more
suitable for her service" With the Sug-
gestion that it should be noted tnat
italy is building 1O,O00-ton cruisers for
her feet in the Mediterranean, where
she is maintaining equal naval strength
with France" the Springfield, (Mass)
Union points out that while appearing
to place less stress on heavy battleships,
Italy is giving due attention to lighter
and faster cruisers and particularly to
her air force"
That "Mussolini has given the powers
something to shoot at, when they re-
sumo conference on reduction of arma-
ment," is the way the Minneapolis
Journal looks at it, as 1t observes that
"Italy's dictator has followed up his
support of sweeping reduction OF arma-
ment, given at the Geneva Conference"
The Journal sees him as having "as-
sailed the battleship as naval weapon,
and projected the 10,000-ton cruiser as
the maximum unit of strength. So far
as it goes, that should conform to the
American standard, as opposed to the
British effort to reduce cruiser tonnage
below the needs of the United States
with its lack of naval bases" asserts
this paper, which however. notes that
in so doing, Mussolini has disposed
suitably to Italy-of the battleship
principle to which the United States
adheres for the same reason that 1t
clings to high cruiser tonnage"
As to future plans of Italy, the San
Antonio Express states that "the admi-
rality plans to organize two cruiser
squadrons. respectively based on Speza
and Taranto." Pointing out that the
former Is "225 miles northeast of
Toulon, Frances strongest naval base
In the Mediterranean region" while
the latter commands "the entrance to
the Adriatic Sea-" the Express COM