AMERICA’S NAVAL PLANS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1635, 9 November 1916, Page 4

AMERICA’S NAVAL PLANS.

The United States Naval Bill contains a clause authorising the President, upon the conclusion of the European War, to invite the Powers to confer upon the establishment of an International Court of Arbitration for the consideration of the question of universal disarmament. The clause provides further that if the disarmament conference makes real progress toward the limiting of armies and navies, the President shall cancel the naval programme of the United States, in jso far as it proves to be inconsistent with the decisions arrived at by the conference. I learn, says a Washington correspondent, that the peace men in Congress were only prevailed upon to vote for the Bill, .with its ambitious programme, on securing permission for the incorporation of the clause regarding disarmament. The Bill, however, provides for over GO warships to be constructed in the first year, and as these must be commenced within six months of the passage of the Bill the Big Navy men saw little harm in allowing the clause to he inserted.’’