The Navy has not yet decided the question of building 52,000-ton warships, America's highest ranking naval Offücer told the Committee. He said the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, which was scuttled by its crew after a battle with three British cruisers, "wound up where a lot of us thought she would."
Asked whether the United States had any ships capable of carrying on a running fight with the Graf Spee, Admiral Stark. replied, "No sir. But de certainly two eight-inch cruisers could have fought her. One would have a good' chance of returning if it was supported by an aircraft carrier.
"The Graf Spee was very lightly protected. It was a perfectly splendid ship, but those of us who studied her knew she was soft."
Mr. Vinson said, "The lesson I learned from that fight is not to put all your eggs in one basket. Instead of building one enormous ship, have three or four ships of different types."—United Press, "Too Big or Not Big Enough"
Washington, Jan. 10.
Admiral Stark revealed that the two battleships for which President Roosevelt last week asked for initial funds, would be "practically' sister-ships of the two 45000-ton ships for which Congress in 1939 voted funds with which to begin construction. "Four. such ships," the Admiral declared, "would be a perfectly splendid high-speed unit" The quartet, he added, would be designed for a speed of 33 knots.
Remarking that there was much talk in regard to the advantages of 62,000-ton battleships, Admiral Stark expressed the opinion that they would be "either too big or not big enough," but he failed to explain this remark.
Tokyo, Jan. 9.
"Japan's relations with the United States are bound to improve," Mr. Tadaharu Mukai, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mitsui Bussan and one of the highest officials in the House of Mitsui, told the press.
"We need not feel concerned regarding trade relations with the U.S.," he continued, "for they must improve and, even if they don't, they are not likely to worsen."
Mr. Mukai added that he made this statement "with certainty" although he did not reveal on what grounds he based his assurance.
Touching upon Japan's trade outlook in the new year, he added that as a result of the European war development of the Indian, Australian and South Seas markets today has become "the mission of Japanese trade."
For this," he concluded, "excessive control on foreign trade should be slackened and the Government even should take drastic measures to encourage foreign trade."—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.