Evening star., 1938-02-01
i. S. WOULD BUILD
BIGGER WARSH|PS
Will Go Beyond 35, ,00O- Ton
Limit, Admiral Leahy
Declares.
b. the Associate Press.

/ b. the Associated Press.
The Nays top-ranking officer tolc
Congress today the United States
would build battleships larger than the
35,0o0-ton limit fixed by the 1896
London treaty if other powers disre.
gard the limitation.
1T is almost certain" Admiral viii.
liam D. Leahy said. that the treaty
nations would invoke an escape clause
and build larger ships if it were deter
mined that other countries were do.
ing So
! The chief of naval operations made
this statement to the House Naval
Committee during the second day OF
hearings on legislation to carry out
an S30.000,000 naval expansion pro-
gram proposed in response to President
Roc1evelt's recommendation for a fiat
20 per cent increase in the size of the
fleet.
Earlier, he told the committee OF
unofficial reports to the Navy that
Japan is building 43,00O-ton battle
ships. This information, he said, had
been published in Italy.
Doesn't Know Accurately.
Asked by Representative Mott, Re-
publican, of Oregon whether the In
telligence Service did not know accu-
rately whether Japan was building
such super-dreadnaughts. Admiral
Leahy replied:
we have an Intelligence Depart
ment. but it has not been able to get
the information in Japan
He asserted this Government knew
nothing of the tonnage or gun calibers
OF the new japanese ships.
The proposed naval expansion pro-
gram includes three 35,OOO-ton battle
ships, and Admiral Leahy said the
United States has no present intention
of building larger ones unless forced
to do so by the activities of foreign
powers.
Questioned by Representative Ham,
ilton, Democrat, of Virginia as to
how the Navy would defend the Ma
tional Capital if the fleet were occu-
pied in the Pacific, Admiral Leahy
said he presumed that would have to
be left to the Army until the fleet
could reach the scene.
Opposes Fleet Division.
Admiral Leahy emphatically op-
posed division of the fleet between
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, al
though Mr.. Hamilton said many
members of Congress believed there
should be two fleets because of the
vulnerabllity of the Panama Canal.
That, of course, would involve a
much greater increase than that pro-
posed" Admiral Leahy asserted.
Admiral Leahy began his discussion
OF the sizes of battleships after
Representative Cole, Republican, of
New York, asked whether any country
had combatant ship of more than
$4,000 tons built or building.
so far as we know" the admiral
said, no nation has a ship larger
than $4,000 tons or one under con-
struction. although information has
been published in Italy that Japan is
building ships very much larger than
that"
admiral Leahy evidently referred
To ships classed as battleships. The
British Hood is 42,100 tons, but Navy
officers said the Hood is classed as q
battle cruiser)
Chairman Vinson brought out that
the purpose of the expansion program
was to keep us on an even keel with
other nations"
Admiral Leahy agreed, asserting it
would be "difhcult for any other nation
to successfully attack US as lons
as the present ratio is maintained"
Representative Sutphin, Democrat
OF New Jersey wanted to know whether