The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-02-14
LEADERS SEE
LITTLE VALUE
IN ARMS MEET
Say World Too Inflamed
for Such Conference
to Make Progress
u. S. MAY CONSTRUCT
$4,000 TON SHIPS

WASHINGTON, Feb. Ia. (UP)
Possibility that the United States
will take the lead in the greatest
naval building race in history as
result Of Japan's flat refusal to
reveal her intentions was limited
last night by high administra-
ton official.
Although Japan's reply to the
American, British and French
notes demanding information on
the island empires naval building
program, left the door open to in
ternational consultation for limi-
tation of ornaments, President
Roosevelt is said to believe that
the present time would not be ia
vorable for a conference.
Since this government informed
Japan that refusal to divulge
her building plans would be re-
garded as confirmation Of reports
that she is constructing super
warships, the only alternative,
this official said, is for the United
States to carry out her declared
intention to invoke the "Escala-
tor clause" of the London treaty.
This probably would result in
orders by Mr.. Roosevelt to in
crease the tonnage of the three
draednaughts contemplated in the
Vinson authorization bill from
$4,000 tons each to 43,200 or
$4,000 tons. High navy officials
have intimated strongly that ships
of that size probably would be
armed with l8.inch guns, the
most devastating sea weapons
ever devised. : - ''
The president already has re-
quested appropriations, in addi-
ton to the 1858, 100000 navy
supply bill, to lay keels for two
battleships this year. These ves-
sells would augment the regular
building program and give the
United States six battleshfps un-
der construction within a year.
Four of these may be 45,000-ton-
ners.
Meanwhile, moves which will be
launched in the house and senate
to prevent the United States from
Joining the world rearmament
race, are believed doomed to fail
ure.
Senator William King, D., Utah,
and Representative Maury Maver-
lex, D., Texas, leader of the house
liberal bloc, will introduce reso-
lutions authorizing the president
to call a world naval limitation
conference.
81 want to see every nation in
terested in this proposal come to
Washington and put its cards on
the table in an effort to dispel
the atmosphere of fear and to end
the terrible burden Of arma-
ments," King said.
81 want to see all branches OF
the major nations armed services
discussed without any previous
commitments. If the nations Of
the world want peace, this is the
way to give them an opportunity
to get it."
Maverick said "a conference
now - regardless of how irritat-
ed nations might be - may save
q war"
Lets have some peace talk
and a peace conference before
war and not later" he continued.
"In fact, if we do this, we may
stop a naval race and eventually
q war.
"The Japanese reply to the
United States was not belligerent
and it was quite evident that their
is willing to discuss
naval limitation.
Japan also pointed out in her
note that she proposed at the
London conference the abolition
of capital ships. Who. then, wants
them? We should thrash this out
over a conference table with the
other powers and make a real.
contribution to peace"
Chairman Key Pittman, d.,
New, of the senate foreign re-
lations committee, did not agree
with Maverick and King. He said
the present world situation is less
favorable for a successful conclu-
sion to such a conference than
upon many previous occasions.
Since political antagonisms are
greater than ever before" he
said. 81 doubt that o conference
would be successful"
The King and Maverick reso-
lutions were expected to revive
congressional discussion OF the
administrations foreign policy,
with a strong probability that
there will be further demands in.
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