American secretary for foreign affairs stated battleships still the core of the US navy according to the Dutch newspaper Soerabaijsch handelsblad dated 23 December 1919

An item dated Washington, USA 22nd reported that the American secretary for foreign affairs officially stated that battleships were still the core of the US navy although their number was to be decreased. It was not certain what the secretary meant with this statesmen. The newspaper mentioned some possibilities as using the battleships longer as 20 years which was now common, delaying the replacement or even decreasing their numbers.