Admiral Ernst King of the USN stands: "Gentlemen, the United States is not indisposed towards a general limitation of warships, but unless all the Great Naval Powers are involved we are merely limiting ourselves while placing no limits on those for whom the status quo is not agreeable. The United States government is willing to discuss a large ship holiday providing either the other Great Naval Powers are signatories or those involved in these talks are willing to participate in some sort of Agreement where we agree to maintain the status quo, with force if necessary. Otherwise, we are merely weakening ourselves and strengthening the non-signatories, commendable as our efforts may seem.
Failing that, the United States is prepared to dispose of all capital ships constructed prior to the Tennessee and Lexington classes, 4 being scrapped immediately, and the New Mexico class being scrapped when two replacement ships for the seven are completed. These proposed ships would not exceed Cleito limits. The United States is willing to halt all future warship sales after the proposed Agreement comes into force, save those which are agreed beforehand if all other signatories are also willing to agree to this. Regarding territorial claims, and posturing by other powers, the United States is willing to agree to respect the current territorial boundaries by all signatories, and not partake in any actions that would either encourage posturing by other nations on signatories territories, or participate in whatever fashion in aggressive actions by other nations on signatories, if the other signatories to this agreement are willing to also agree to this. Obviously, if a signatory is involved in an aggressive action against a nation to whom the United States has an interest in their independence and ability to act as a sovereign nation, such agreement would be null and void.
China has been desiring to change the status quo in the East by aggressive actions rather than peaceful means for some time, something that the United States firmly opposes. It is therefore the policy of the United States government to maintain a powerful fleet in the Pacific Ocean to act as a deterrent and hopefully a containment, which may be a comfort to those with interests in the region. We cannot do so, if we also have to maintain an equivalent fleet in the Atlantic, something that our agreement with the other nations in NATO was designed to do. A wider agreement, even if it is a drawing down of naval forces from an area of little potential tension, to one where the potential for tension is much greater would be welcomed by the United States.