New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-18
OKUMA PREDICTS
BANKRUPT WORLD
Japanese Says Peace
Treaty Should Limit Ma
tons Armament
EX-PREMIER WOULD
GUST GERMAN NAVY
Believes Army Should be
{ { Two-ThirdS and
Colonies Be Lost
rrrcr Tbe Tribune Bureau

Washington, Feb. 17.-Marquis OKu-
ma. recent Premier Of Japan believes
the United States ought to reduce 10
the minimum its naval establishment
after peace shall come; that the En-
tente powers ought to maintain the
status quo respecting theirs, but taat
Japan should complete her naval build
ing programme. He believes, turther'
that the peace treaty after the pres
emit war should provide for the limi-
tstiop of ornaments. The world, ne
SAWS. meaning the European world Is
on the brink Of bankruptcy.
MARQUIS Okuma's utteranees' when
have lust been received in Washing
ton, follow:
'If am TO be allowed to describe
the prevailing conditions Of the worid
frankly, | would say that the world Is
now on the brink of bankruptcy, ana
the pesee conference may well be re-
garded as a conference for discussing
means of alternating the effects OF that
bankruptcy.
fortunately, Japan has suffered no
serious damage from the war, while
America has kept aloof from the tur-
moil of hostilities. On the other hand
the European belligerent powers have
exhausted their gold currency, and are
consequently face to face with the ne
cessity of changing their conversion
system. When a state suffers from
shortage of gold specie it is unable TO
nav out interest on its national loans.
"As a last resort such state will
have to adopt a paper standard in lieu
OF the present gold standard. However
hard America may try, she cannot but
accept paper money from country
which has no gold currency TO meet It's
liabilities. Thus a serious change IN
the economic world is anticipated A.
the same time, we must look for revo-
linton in Industrial. scientific and liter
arv circles. VIII the japanese people
be fully prepared for these revolution
airy changes?
Hopes for Permanent Peace
az sincerely hope that the peace con-
ference at the end Of the present war
will be. in reality. a conference for
establishing permanent peace IN the
world. To establish such permanent
peace il is of prime Importance to place
restrictions on the military strength OF
the world powers, for military power IS
the foe Of peace.
"Germany provoked the present war
because she was conscious of her mil
itarv power. Had her ilitary strength
not been powerful the world would
have been spared such a lawless and
inhuman conflict.
sit is, therefore, most important that
At the peace conference all the powers
represented should discuss the question
in a conciliatory attitude and agree on
the restriction Of ornaments. All the
countries of the world should be made
to abolish all ornaments providing
against an enemy from without, retain
ing merely that portion which is essen
tial 10 deal with possible civil dis
turbances. By way Of punishment, the
whole German navy should be sur
rendered. while her army should be re-
duced to one-tLird of its strength in
pre-war DAYS. Moreover, Germany
should be deprived Of all the colonies
she possesses.
'Both Great Britain and France
ought 10 maintain their status quo in
the matter Of ornaments.
Speaks for Japan's Navy
"In view Of the considerable length
Of her coast lines and of the necessity
Of providing against the pirates with
which the China Seas are infested,
japan should be allowed to complete
the naval replenishment programme
she has now in hand, but her army
should be limited to the present TWEEN
ty-one divisions.
CAS- regards America, where is the
necessity for her 10 expand her anna
ments? She ought 10 cut them down to
the minimum.
ut is no use for each of the powers,
who all live under the same God. TO
pray 10 that God for the bestOwal of
exclusive special blessings. In short,
the only way TO secure the peace of the
world lies in the limitation of arma-
ments This question will surely form
the chief subject of discussion at the
forthcoming peace conference. and, OBJ
stinate as she is, Germany will raise no
objection 10 this proposition in defer
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