New-York tribune., 1921-12-01
Nippon Delegates Only
Awaiting Final Approx
al From Toxic Before
Agreeing to Hughes Plan
Discussion Goes
To big Three
America Holds Firm i'm
Counting All Ship Con-
struction in Proposal
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-Fina1
approval from Toxic sustaining the
belief of the japanese delegation
here that the Japanese must agree to
the ratio Of 5-5-3-that the strength
of their feet in battleships shall be
so per cent of the American feet or
the British fieet-is the only thing
holding up formal settlement.
This was clearly indicated in jap
anese quarters tonight, and so con-
fident are the japanese here that
this will be the word that they tenn
porarily at least have even given up
serious belief that their requirement
Of a 70 per cent ratio will be ac-
cepted.
American Position Final
No further argument is being
made by the American delegation on
the point.
"It is simply not arguable," said
the spokesman of the American dele
CATION.
Discussion of the ratio was formally
referred to the "Big Three"-Hughes,
rBalfour and Kato-to-day. In the
last week, so far as armament is COM
cerned, Mr.. Hughes has been handling
the discussion, not the American naval
experts, and tho same applies to both
! the British and japanese
Information that the japanese Cabi-
net had backed up the delegation's con-
tention for 70 per cent rate was ac-
cepted here tonight as a gesture,
though it is known that actually the
important thing awaited from Toxic is
the expected permission to the delega-
tion to announce it's concession to the
5-5-3 plan insisted upon by the Ameri-
can and British delegations.
Meanwhile, on the Pacific and Far
Eastern questions another long step
toward the satisfactory solution of all
those problems was made when it was
agreed that the Chinese and Japanese
should negotiate the Shantung ques-
ton between themselves, with Hughes
and Balfour sitting in to exert their 4
"good Offices"
Italians Open to Proposals
The Italians have made it very clear
that, while they insist upon having a
navy precisely as strong as that of
France, they are not particularly in
terested in what the size of that navy
shall be. They are willing 80 discuss
cutting down the existing strength to
any figure to which France will agree.
The Japanese have played their last
card in their fight for a 70 per cent
ratio on battleships, which was that
none of the ships under construction
by any company should be counted in
computing the existing strength It is
this existing strength which is the
American yardstick in determining the
size of the fleets during the naval hol-
iday and during the replacement period
which is to follow it,
AS was asserted in The Tribune yes
terday morning, the japanese found
out to their own satisfaction some days
ago that they could not hope 10 alter
the ratio of 5-5-3, as laid down by
Mr.. Hughes. They conceded this when
they found out that even IL they ac-
cepted It they might be able, by sub
stitutng an older ship for the scrap
offering, to retain their new ship
Mutsu.
The case of the Mutsu is tremen-
dously important to the Japanese, all
though it is not weighed as SO ini-
portant by the American delegation.
Figure Actual Skip Construction
at isn't question of any particular
ship that is involved" said member
of the American delegation to-day.
"We have taken the Mutsu in working
out the relative strengths as being eS
per cent completed, and that was the
correct figure.
''The thing comes down to one simple
proposition and that is whether you
take into consideration the ships ac-
tually under construction in figuring
your ratio.
IF we have ship 80 or 90 per cent
completed, we don't count it 100 per
cent. We count it for what it is, Just
IS we did in taking their figures and
giving them credit for what they had.
"The American people would not APP
prove our scrapping these ships on
which we spent s330,000,0oo without
getting proper credit in any arrange
meEt made. We put them in for what
they are worth.
Question Not Arguabie
"The ignoring of ships under con-
struction is not arguable. IF you
want to arrive at the strength you
must put in all ships under construc-
tion as we'll as those completed
Both the Americans and British re-
gard the idea Of not counting ships
under construction as part OF exist
ing naval strength as too absurd to
warrant argument. In joining the
Americans on this proposition the Brit
ish are not taking ground that would
in any way advance their own claims
to larger ratio, because of the three
big naval powers they have by far the
smallest amount of new construction.
The whole test of existing naval
Americans contend. on strength which
could be used in a war which started d
immediately. Obviously, they say, ths
ships under construction. especially
those nearly completed, could be rushed
to completion in a very short time b.
putting three shifts a day upon them.
Senator Schanzer, head Of the ItaIiau