The New York herald., 1921-12-01
Editor of London Times
Sees a Motive in the KatO
Statement.
CAREFUL FOR HARMONY
Indications Point to Desire to
Help Task of Reaching Def
mite Agreements.
BY wICKHAAI sTEED.

" 81
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-It was clea,
TO all who understood the situation
In the Far East that when the Japa-
nese Government accepted the invita-
ton to the Washington conference a
turning point had been reached in the
political development Of Japan.
During the events in Europe that
marked the growth of the crisis which
ended in the great war, and during
the war itself. the attention of the
world was DETECTED from Far Eastern
and Pacific questions and was concen-
trated upon European issues. Japan
however. attended to matters within
her immediate sphere Of interest. and
gradually adopted the policy that cul-
minated In the presentation Of the
famous twenty-one demands to China
1t seemed at times as though the
Japanese General Staff were pursuing
pan-Asiatic policy not unlike the
pan-Gernan policy which the Ger
man General Staff pursued before and
during the war until it brought Ger
many to grief.
In Japan this policy Of military and
economic expansion did not go unchai-
lenged. The wiser sections Of Japanese
opinion understood that successive en-
croachments on China must, In the long
run. bring about a conflict in which the
position Of japan in the world would be
at stake. They advocated, therefore, a
policy Of reasonable economic and politi-
cal evolution as against the eventually
catastrophe imperialist designs attrib-
uted to the general staff.
Japan suspicions Mt First.
At the moment when President Har-
ding's invitations 10 the Washington
conference were issued It was uncertain
which Of these two schools of thought
wouid predomfnate. The japanese de-
cision to accept the Invitation was not
unqualified by suspicion that the United
States might wish to bring Japan before
some sort of a tribunal in which she
would find herself confronted with. the
alternative of coming into line with the
Western Powers or of standing con-
demned.
The Japanese delegation therefore left
home In a cautious mood. But the
atmosphere of sincerity and good will
that has prevailed in Washington since
the beginning of the conference and the
friendly frankness Of Mr.. Hughes have
helped to remove Japanese apprehen-
sions and to create a spirit of concord.
Thus Admiral Baron Kato, on behalf OF
To of1 a.
both the 5-5-3 ratio of capital ship
strength as an index of the future posi-
tions of the American, British and
japanese navies and the four principles
In regard to China that were laid down
by Mr. Root
While the complicated nature OF the
Chinese question prec'udes an i'm
mediate settlement as definite as that
which Is certainly attainable on the
naval question, II does not preclude a
manifestation of intentions so clear as
TO form strong working hypothesis.
II not positive basis. for the solution
of the Chinese problem.
Before they have ascertained the con
sidered attitude OF the United States in
regard to Shantung. the withdrawal OF
Japanese troops from Manchuria. Fast :
ern Siberia and other practical issues,
the Japanese delegation may not wish
TO give their final assent TO the 5-5-s
ratio or to bind themselves irrevocably
by declarations which they would be
in honor bound to observe. They may
even have thought 1t prudent to EN-
phasize the desire of their experts for
20 per cent. of the British or the Ameri-
can capital ship strength. until the pros
pective bearing of the decisions of tho
conference upon the Chinese question
should be clearly pcrceptible. Hence.
possibly, the statement issued on Mon
day evening by the chief Japanese naval
expert. Vice-Admiral Kanii Kato, to
which alluded yesterday
This statement was partly disavowed
on Tuesday evening by Prince Toku-
gawa, a prominent Japanese delegate,
who informed representatives of the
press that Vice-Admiral Kato had spoken
for himself alone. not in the name OF
the delegation. This semi-disavowal fol-
lowed upon an unequivocal indication
from American official quarters that no
reconsideration of the 5-5-3 basis would
be regarded with favor by the United
States.
Competent opinion, therefore. re-
mains mistaken that Japan will shortly
intimate her acceptance OF the suggested
ratio. Yet the question arises, why
vice-Admiral Kato should have Issued
an unauthorized statement at SO delicate
a moment.
Work I'm Fullest Harmony.
In other words. It Is uncertain whether
vice-Admiral Kato's statement was a
tactical move designed to influence the
decisions of the conference--in which
case IL was foolish, not to say dangerous
or whether II revealed divergence of
view between the unreasonable and the
reasonable sections of the Japanese rep
resentation--in which case II would seem
TO show that the controversy between
the Japanese nlitarists and the Japa-
nese evolutionists Is not yet quite dead.
Pushed to it's logical conclusion, the
nirftarist or navalist view would wreck
tire conference. Nothing in the atti-
tude of the Japanese delegation as n
whole has hitherto suggested any such
Il ndency. On the contrary, the Japanese
delegates have been helpful and mod
crate, evidently anxious to work in the
fullest harmony with their American
and British colleagues for the success
Of the conference on lines which can
alone insure the peaceful development