International Conference to Limit Navies Washington, Feb. 4.
The House -of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee has reported favourably on the resolution authorizing the President to call an international disarmament conference in Washington.
The report of the Navy Board argues that the policy of equal armaments will tend to diminish their growth and to lessen the danger of sudden wars. The Board strenuously opposes any rest period or limitation of armaments which would interfere with the United States' present building programme.
The report attributes the movement in Great Britain towards the cessation of construction to the great preponderance of her navy and to the present economic situation in the British Empire. It expresses the opinion thas the value of American men-of-war now building will not be seriously im paired for many years. It declares that it would be the height of unwisdom for any nation possessing sea-power to change its practice on account of mere theories in regard to the future development of new and untried weapons like submarines and aircraft, but the new weapons must be developed as rapidly as possible.
Mr. Butler, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Naval Committee, who recently had a conference with President-Elect Harding at the latter's house, stated that the United States would call an_ international corference to discuss disarmament. The Committee then sat in secret session to hear the views of prominent naval officers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.