The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-04
Japan Leans Toward an
Agreement Rather Than
Race for Supremacy.
FAVORS QUINTUPLE
UNDERSTANDING
Not Likely to Fight Naval
Program if Satisfied on
Issues in China.

Tokyo remains today the 'N'' or
the armament conference.
The Japanese delegation is in
communication with their capital
on extreme matters Of policy.
The decision there is expected to
complete the unqualified success or
the parley. Should Japan decide,
and she is believed almost certain
50 to do. that an understandings be-
tween nations is preferable to a
mad race f'r naval and military
supremacy. then there will come
out Of the present conference a new
state of international friendship.
How it shall come remains TO he
worked out. There are many sug-
Sestions. Most of them are in
dorsed by various of the delegations
in Washington. Only American
headquarters H. silent, and even
lhat only officially. The United
States is the host of the conference.
and il cannot afford even TO make
it appear that it would allow prop
aganda to influence the opinions Of
its guests.
Admiral Baron kato and Primo.
Togugawa are in communication
with the Japanese cabinet They
have suggested general acquies-
cnce in the general American pro-
gram. They are willing publicly
to say that they agree to t-e
Hughes naval ratio. They will go
4 long ways to giving back to emma
what they seized in ShantunE fol-
lowing the late war. They will ad-
nit that eventually hey can sur
render territory held under treatie.
and leaseholds. But they want such
an agreement conditional upon a
completely smicahle arrangement
among the powers now represented
in Washington that way for ac-
tual arbitration Of mooted noints
shall always be available
Favor Fire-NatIon Agreement.
4 quintuple understanding where
by the United States. Great Britain.
France, Italy and Japan would he
participants would be very excel
lent development in the opinion Of
the Japanese. Not necessarily a
binding treaty is required. they be-
lieve. A general agreement on
principles. subscribed TO by the
delegates now assembled. would be
sufficient, they consider.
There is no question that there
is complete understanding be
tween the Big Three" That deal.
with future happenings in the ma
val problem and its subsidiary mat
tiers. The Japanese viewpoint has
been all along that il they were
guaranteed sufficient concessions
in Far Eastern decisions they
would not fight about the nava!
program. But il will be some days
before Tokyo will speak on this
and the kindred subjects.
The British quarters il was sta
ted last night that the AnElo-Jap-
anese alliance is to give place 10
an understanding between Other
nations. The hope was expressed
that China might also be a par,
II such a plan. The new agreement
would substitute for all existing
agreements. treaty and gentle
mems. and make for increasing
friendship everywhere.
Britain in Accord.
Conference circles suggested yes
terday that at the meeting Frida :
night between Hughes. Ralfour and
kato. the British chief delegate
, frankly told the japanese repre-.
/ sentative that Great Britain was in
/ complete accord with the United
| States. Ralfour is believed to have
! opened the way for frank talk
/ by Hughes in explaining that the
/ United States wanted causes for
war removed. especially in the
| Pacific
This suggestion. conference cir.
| cles believe, opened the way fol
/ Baron kato to explain that mas.
much as the Japanese ratio was
/ bound up with the Far Eastern
. problems in such a manner that il
was impossible to separate tho
/ two. the mere suggestion that ar
understanding could he arrived al
! that would substitute arbitration
and mediation for possible war
fare absolutely changed the situ.
alton. Then came a frank talk and
| baron Kato left TO consult Tokyo
Last night the feeling of op-
tomism was even more evident in
/ conference circles than heretofore
| But there is little chance OF any
! official action until the middle oi
next week Meanwhile the rumor
| factories must continue to work