The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-11-24
JAPAN OBJECTS To
RATIO OF NAVY CUT
Anglo-Jap Pact Up Again;
British Pat on SIS War
ships Ratio.
BY Charles Nicholson
in the Courier-Journal.


conference has reached stage ia
rniliar to everybody who has followed
the course of international, congress-
es. Everything is in the air and being
Kept there with view to compro-
misses later on.
II does not mean that every cues
Mon will not be satisfactorily settled,
or that confusion has overtakcn the
conference. The various delegations
know their way through the appar-
ent maze. The intangible. viscous
state OF the various questions is
simply like the dough. that in the
baking becomes firm bread.
This little explanation Is necessary
lest a recital of the complications that
developed today should convey tn"
idea that everything had gone to pot
The striking and picturesque fea-
ture of the day was Premier Aristide
Brands eloquent explanation OF
Frances perils and the reductions In
the army she intends to make
though substantial, are not sensa-
tional, and the implication that the
other countries would stand by her II
her perils materialized into attack.
Japan Now Says "No."
Outside the conference oratory
were a number of matters of greater
importance to the success of the ses-
sion than land disarmapent.
Our naval proposals, which were
accepted in principle" the other
day, are fairly in the mixing pot. We
stand by our capital ship proportion
of 'five-five-three." aud nowhere
along the American line is there any
suggestion of weakening.
England is with us as far as five
five" goes. but is silent about the
"three." In other words, she ac-
.cepts the plan of ultimate equality in
our navy and hers, says no more
about the interruption of ten-year
naval holiday, and will fight 1t out
with us in committee about subma-
rines and cruisers, but she declined to
express an opinion as to the merit
of our proposal for Japan's navy.
Japan has braced up and tonight
let IL be known that she will never,
never agree to hold her capital ships
TO so per cent OF the number allowed
to the United States and to England,
conveying the intention that, regard
less of what happens, she must have
20 per cent and thinks she ought to
have 75 per cent.
Chinese Phase Still Snarled.
The Chinese questions are as well
snarled as ever. They did. II is true
adopt a resolution embracing four
general principles for the discussion
of Chinese affairs at the meeting Of
the committee on Far Eastern and
Pacific questions but tonight every
|. delegation and its satellites is quar-
reling over what Elihu Root, who in
troduced the resolutions, really
meant.
Every convention of the myriads
that have been about the Far East
has carried a provision for respect
sng Chinese sovereignty-and Japan
and the other Powers have helped
themselves just the same. The second
declaration, might mean that every
body was pledged to get out of China
otherwise, how is she going to be left
unembarrassed to work out a stable
government?
The third proposal is simply a par
aphrase of the open door" policy.
which is no older than the violation
of the principle II enunciated.
Lansing Agreement Junked.
The last of the proposals-that the !
Powers abstain from taking advant-
age of China's present condition for
their special interests, etc.. would I
bar the Japanese, for example, from
mixing I'm the existing political tur-
moil in China, or intervening II the
fighting becomes general, except. Of !,
course. that Japan II she did mix
would never admit selfish motive.
The Chinese accusation is that Japan !
fomented a lot of the discord for her
own profit.
,Gsneral as are Mr.. Roots four
specifications. they seem to accom-
'pIish one definite result; they Junk
the Lansing-ishii agreement recog-
mixing Japan's special interests in
China and make a joke of Japan's
'.Alonnoe doctrine for Asia"
rha. the Japanese do not regard the |