Evening star., 1921-12-06
WOULD GIVE NAVAL
FIGURES PUBLICITY
Suggestion Made That Facts
and Arguments Be Placed
Before Public.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


A suggestion emanating from Jap
anese sources today is that the figures
OF the naval experts of both Japan
and the United States be laid before
the conference committee on limita-
ton of naval armament for considera-
ton along with explanations made by
each nation, and that they then be
made public by the conference with
such comments as the conference COM
mittee desires to make.
Kotaro Mochizuki. leader of the op.
position party in the Japanese parlia-
ment. believes that by such a course
1t would be possible to clear up the
situation which has developed in con-
nection with the ratio of naval
strength. 5-5-3 as suggested by the
British. and 10-1O-7 as suggested by
the Japanese.
Must Convince Public.
Rightly or wrongly. Mr.. Mochizuki
said today. the people of Japan have
been led to believe that both from
the stanpoint of national security
and of existing strength of navies
Japan should have 70 per cent
naval strength when compared to the
naval strength Of the United States
and Great Britain. II the American
plan is to be accepted, he said. this
belief must be removed from the
minds of the Japanese. or else it will
ratification of an agreement made
here by the Japanese delegation pro-
viding for only 60 per cent naval
strength.
In other quarters however, it was
pointed out today that the question
of figures of the naval experts has
been settled in the meetings Of the
naval experts, and the Americans
have maintained clearly that the so
per cent suggested for the Japanese
when 1t comes to figuring the ratio Of
the navies on existing strength
Based ON Present Strength.
So far as reaching any decision by
figures when the question of national
security is raised, it would be i'm
possible to accomplish any result, it
as said.
The United States. with it's tremen-
dous coast line on both Atlantic ana
ports. might well place very much
larger percentage to it's credit when
the question of national security is
considered than it has when figur-
ing the proposal made by Secretary
Hughes. The same might apply to
Great Britain, with her many colonies
and long lines of communication. The
United States, it was stated emphat-
ically. did not take into consideration
the question of national security" as
such in making its proposal for limi-
tation of naval armament, but mere
ly the question of existing naval
strength. 1t is maintained by the
United States that that is the only
clusion for limiting naval building.
Furthermore. the three naval pow
ers are making plans for peace. and
not for war. They are the only three
great naval powers of the world to-
day.
Await Word From Toxic.
There is a lull in the proceedings
of the conference here. due to the fact
that the Toxic government must be
/ heard from before further steps can
be taken by the Japanese delegation
with regard to the naval limitation of
'arn1aments. 1t may take several days.
lit was said. before the instructions
required can be obtained.
The Japanese people, 1t was, pointed
out by Mr.. Mochizuki today. might
well be Influenced not to insist upon
70 per cent naval strength IL various
problems of the far east are settled
at the present conference in a way
in the far east. 1t is his opinion that
a definite understanding between the
United States, Great Britain, Japan
and France and possibly other pow
ers at the present conference should
be entered into. If such course is
followed the japanese might easily
be convinced that there was no neces-
sity Of insisting upon 20 per cent
naval strength. This would naturally
be a substitute for the Anglo-Jap-
anese alliance.
The Japanese parliament is to open
fNv hug To ;1 20
be expected that the present confer
ence will be thoroughly discussed at
that time. Mr.. Mochizuki. as leader
of the opposition in the lower house,
will leave here soon to be in Japan
for the opening Of the parliament.