Evening star., 1934-08-31
DAVIS WILL OFFER
SHIP COMPROMISE
u. S. Cuts Demand for 35,-
O00-Ton Vessels to 32,-
OOO-Gesture to Britain.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

September, with instructions not to
yield to any drastic reductions re-
garding the size of the battleships
and the caliber Of their armaments
and to maintain the naval ratios be-
tween the United States, Great Britain
and Japan.
AS a gesture of goodwill toward
Great Britain, whose admrals have
been striving to reduce the size of the
battleships from the 5000 tons each,
as provided in the Washington agree
ment, to vessels not exceeding $4,000
tons, the American Government is
willing to compromise on a new type
of $4,000.
Mr.. Davis will be allowed to agree
also to a reduction in the caliber of
the guns of the capital ships from l6
inches TO IA inches.
Ratios Ordered Kept.
As far as a general reduction of
tonnage is concerned, the American
delegate is reported to be authorized
to agree to any drastic reduction pro-
vided the existing 5-5-3 ratios are
maintained Furthermore he will be
ready to discuss a change in the pres
ent classification of ships, which
under the existing Washington and
London naval agreements are divided
into battleships airplane carriers,
heavy cruisers, light cruisers, destroy
ers and submarines.
The change in this classification
has become increasingly necessary,
since there is such a difference be-
tween the American and the British
naval men regarding the size of the
various types of ships.
The British want to maintain the
global tonnage in each category, but
insist on a reduction in the size of
the battleships and heavy cruisers.
The British admiralty has valid rea-
sons, as far as Great Britain is con-
cerned, to demand such reductions.
They need large number of smaller
ships to maintain the communications
between Great Britain and the do
minions and the colonies. AS Britain
possesses large number of naval
bases throughout the world, the smaller
ship is suitable to her needs.
Os De TNcCuS &c SHIpSs
The American naval men maintain
that only large ship with a great
cruising radius can serve any suitable
purpose, since this country has no
naval bases outside its territorial
waters, except Manila, 5000 miles
from the West Coast.
France has heretofore sided with
Great Britain in regard to the reduc-
ton in size of the battleShip but will
change its point of view if Italy
actually builds two battleships of
IS, 900 tons each, as Mussolini has an
nounced lately.
Under these circumstances, in order
to reconcile the American and the
British point of view, the suggestion
has been made that instead of main
tanning such a narrow classification
new division of the fleets should be
worked out in which there should be
more elasticity in the various classes.
1t has been suggested that the next
limitation of warships-f a confer
ence is to be held next year-should
comprise only three classes, the heavy
ships, battleships and airplane car
riers; light ships, cruisers and destroy
erS-dno SUBMARINES.
Limit is Only on Categories.
Within this new classification each
nation would be permitted to build
any type of ships it considers best
fitted for its needs provided that it
does not exceed the total tonnage
agreed at the conference for each
category.
For the time being the British ad-
miralty is adverse to such a change,
because it maintains that while Great
Britain needs larger number of
ships than 1t has at present, and un-
der the limitation agreement it can
obtain them only by reducing their
size, 1t does not want any other coun-
try to have a heavier type than they
will have.
But these problems are not likely to
cause serious difficulties. The main
trouble comes from Japan, which is
determined to fight to the bitter end
for a complete revision of the existing
ratios.
For many months japanese public
opinion has been told by the govern
lnent that the existing 5-5-3 ratios
are humiliating for a first-class power
like Japan; that her role as the prin-
cipal power in the Pacific demands
equality with the other naval powers
and that, consequently, unless the
United States and Great Britain grant
her such an equality, she will denounce
existing agreements and withdraw
from any further cooperation for
limitation of armamentS.
People Push Pledge
Having convinced public opinion of
the necessity of having a feet equal
to the strongest in the world, the
Japanese government is now COM
PEELED by the people of Japan to make
good its promise.
Toxic realizes that it has acted too
rashly and would like to modify It's
demands, but the pressure of public
opinion makes it impossible to pack
out of the position it has promised
to adopt.
Information from Japan indicates
that while the government realizes it
would have been much wiser to await
the summoning of the conference be-
fore boiling, the pressure of public
opinion is such that it may be neces-
sary for the government to denounce
the Washington treaty within the next
few weeks.
In order to appease popular feeling
the japanese Navy Department has
made it known that the plans for the
construction of two new battleShlps
are ready, and as soon as the Wash
ington treaty is denounced work on
these capital ships will start.
OF the two existing naval treaties
only the Washington pact has o be
denounced before January 81, 1885;
otherwise it will continue for another
two-year period. The London naval
agreement ends automatically on De-
cember 81. 1895, and there is no pro-
vision for its continuation.
Asks New Pact.
According to reports from Toxic,
an official representative of the jap
anese government. Admiral Yama-