Salt Lake Telegram | 1938-03-01 | Page 2 | Powers Study Bigger Navies

Powers Study IS M Bigger OO Navies LONDON March 1 UP Ameri CUP Ameri- Ameri 4 t 4 can can British and French naval exper ex- ex j per start started d discussion today of the advisability of building super battleships and super cruisers as a 2 1 4 defense measure because Japan refuses rei re- re 5 i fuses to disclose her navy building program i The discussions were informal I J bu but on their result depended to a 4 considerable extent a departure i into a So new phase of naval construction construction construe construe- I tion the expenditure of enormous I sums of money and possibly the v start of a a. new building race g It was reported in usually relia- relia w t le 6 quarters that British and Amens Ameri- Ameri M s wean can experts have reached an advanced advanced advanced ad- ad stage in plans for tor building battleships of more than tons 1 and und that only a decision to build Is Js I necessary before technical tests arc made 7 Under their treaty of 1936 the thes' thes s' s three powers restricted themselves JJ to to battleships of not more than u. u tons toes and cruisers of not more than han tons But by an escalator escala w tor clauso clause they may release themselves themselves themselves them- them selves from these limits for purposes purposes pur- pur poses o of national security 4 It was up to the experts to agree whether hether Japan is Js building battle- battle i 4 M ships and cruisers In excess of these 4 and whether they should hould 4 start start building such ships themselves them- them lit selves SJ A decision In a problem that might mean expenditure of many 5 hundreds of millions of dollars lay with the United States and Brit I- I J am aln because a French government spokesman told the United Press in Paris yesterday that France would agree agree in In advance to whatever decision det de- de t elsion cislon the other powers made