Economic Gesture

The Hoover Administration last week decided to speed the effect of the London Naval Treaty even before it had been ratified by Japan. The Treaty requires the U. S. to put away two of its 18 capital ships within one year of the Treaty's effective date, and a third within six months thereafter. On the assumption that Japan would surely ratify, the Administration announced through the Navy Department that the battleships Utah, Florida and Wyoming would drop out of the fleet line Oct. 1. The Florida will be scrapped. The Wyoming, dismantled, will serve as a training craft. The Utah will be towed to sea, sunk in target practice.

Reasons given for thus anticipating the Treaty: 1) the moral certainty that no war emergency would arise; 2) a saving of $4,000,000 gross in upkeep; 3) release of their personnel for assignment to the new cruisers coming into service; 4) "a gesture of international confidence."

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