The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-01
ship SLOGAN
OF JAPS FOR
HOME EFFECT
Insistence of Delegates In
tended to Modify Sentl-
ment IN Native Country
Have Built Up Sentiment.
LOVE VESSEL, MuTSU
nv MARK SULLIVAN

talk about Japan rot accepting the
ratio of ships laid down by Mr. Hughes
probably has nad less to do with rhe
armament conference than with poll
tics in Japan
For many years the japanese politi- .
clans of all parties. and especially
those japanese leaders who are now
in power, have been telling the Japan
csc people that they must have seven
ships 10 every ten that any other ma
tion has. Seven 10 ten" has been a
kind Of political slogan in Japan.
The japanese are very much poorer
than we are. and it has been more
difficult fer the Japanese government
10 persuade its people to give up their
money for shipbuilding than it has
feen with US. The consequence is that
The size OF the national navy has cut
a much larger figure in Japanese poll
tics than it has in ours. The Japanese
politicians have built up a sentiment
among their people for the definite
naval ratio of seven to ten
No Preaching Here
our own naval men, like those in
Japan, have liways had theoretically
desirable ratio as the standard to work
towards Our theoretical ratio was 10
tons to Japau's five. But our navy
men and our government leaders have
never had to preach this ratio up and
down the country to political audi
ences, in Order TO persuade the people
TO endure the taxation
Ninetynine out of a hundred of our
hundred Of our people have never
heard anything about naval ratios.
But the Japanese leaders have had
to preach their ratio of seven to ten
up and down the country until their
people were familiar with it: and that
is what is worrying them now.
In their hearts the japanese have
never really doubted the Hughes of
10 to is entirely fair, but they have
10 consider their political situation at
home.
The Japanese position on the navy,
in fact, is somewhat like the BRAND
speech on land armament II is in
tended not so much TO affect the pres
ent conference. as to avoid political
upheaval back bone" 1t has been
much like many speeches made by
American congressman, designed less
10 affect the decision at issue than
to square themselves with their con
stituents.
Mutsu Sacred Symbol
Not only has the seven to 10 ratio
been a japanese political slogan, but
farther than that. the particular ship
involved. the Mutsu. has been made
a kind of popular personification and
symbol Of japanese naval aspirations.
To the Japanese people. the Mutsu
has become among ships what our un-
known American soldiers at the recent
Armistice day celebration.
A japanese journalist tells me that
Iapanese lahOrers feels that he has 4
personal dime or quarter in the Mutt
su II was built with money obtain
ed through voluntary seIf-saCrifiCe
from Japanese laborers, who earn
about quarter a day. and pay about
q nickel of that in taxes. This jCurn
aist tells me that the shock involved
in scrapping this splendid new ship
less than a month old may cause The
ovcrturn of the present japanese min
istry before the delegates get back
from the conference.
Incidently. this japanese Journalist
revealed a rather likable trait in Jap
anese psychology. When | asked him
why his delegates didn't go to the
British and American delegates and
explain their political necessities
back home in the same spirit in whic]
this journalist had spoken TO me, he
replied that the Japanese delegates
were much TOO proud and senSitiN,
ia ask concessions on any basis O
personal self-interest. OF course. the
british and American delegates would
not be able to yield. but they Nigh
get better understanding Of h'
spirit of the situation
Cannot Change Ratio
The 10 to six ratio cannot be chang
cd. Ten to six is not policy or
doctrine or theory; il is statemen
of fact. Ten to six is the ratio o
the navies to each other as OF Nov II
The day the conference opened. |
tbere i, to be a cessation of compel
tion. that is The point at which i
ceases.
In effect the Japanese say: we ar
willing to stop but first you stop Nh'r'
YOU are. and let us get ahead Of wher
we now are about 10 yards. and thcl
let us all stop.
The American position is that if W
are 10 cease competition, then the onl
practical basis is to stop where every
body nov is II you depart from thai
YOU get into the impossible field O
irving to arrive at a theoretical ratl
IF lust what size of navy each COur
try is entitled TO. That would lead t
endless debate and teChnicalities. II
cidentally. this latter process Woui
leave the Japanese much worse o
than they are at 10 to siX.-Copyrigh
1921. 10y the New York Evening Pos