"Washington, Feb. 13-
The United States may assume. the lead in the imminent naval construction race, expected to be the greatest in history, high Administration sources hinted here to-day.
Although Japan has left the door open to international consultation on naval limitations, it is understood that President Roosevelt believes the present is not a favourable time for such a conference, High Administration sources said that the expressed attitude of the State Department toward the Japanese reply to American demands for publication of Japan's naval building programme left the Administration mo alternative but fo invoke the escalator clause of the London Naval Treaty.
The State Department, in a curt Note yesterday, expressed its dissatisfaction and disappointment in the Japanese reply which rejected the American demands.
Mhe present situation, Administration leaders believed, will result in -President Roosevelt's changing the specifications of three 35,000-ton battleships now authorized for construction, to. those of 43,200-tons or 45,000-tons.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.