New-York tribune., 1921-12-12
Cables Received Believed
to Indicate Japanese
View That Problems of
Council Near Solution
Remaining Issues
Merely of Detail
Involve No Differences
That Might Result in
Wreck of Conference
By Carter Field

w fSIl11NO " yin, Lee. 1I.-SdDleS
from Toxic to-day are believed to
have made possible the formal ac-
ceptance by Japan of the 5-5-3 naval
ratio within the next few days. These
cables, it was learned, make an
other meeting of the big three
Secretary Hughes, Arthur j. Balfour
and Admiral Kato-probable for to-
morrow.
There has been no doubt in Wash
ington for ten days that Japan
would accept the 5-5-3 ratio for
strength of battle fleets. There has
been no doubt also that the details,
complicated and important as they
are, would be adjusted satisfactorily
and speedily as soon as the other
questions before the conference
reached similarly ripened stage.
The evidence now is all indicative
that the japanese think negotiations
on all the subjects are almost near
enough to final conclusion formal
~ to accept the 5-5-3 principle for
battleshlps, especially as this accept
ance will not at once bring the naval
discussions to close.
U. 8. Holds Ratio Paramount
This last is true because the Ameri-
can delegation has taken the position
That there is no use discussing subsid-
ary craft. no matter whether it be air
plane carriers-on which the japanese
would like equal tonnage with Great
! Britain and America-or less impor-
tant details, until the decision has been
finally made as to the ratio of battle
ships.
So that the formal acceptance of the
5-5-3 ratio will lead at once to a phase
of the negotiations much discussed in 4
the first few days of the conference,
but which has been kept off the stage
in the last few weeks by such sub
jects as the consortiun, extraterri-
F., toriality, postal systems in China and
Shantung concessions.
There is little doubt now that tho
Japanese are anxious to resume dis
cussions of these detailed naval ques-
tions. They consider, for example,
that their petition for higher ton
mage of afrpIane carriers is of enor-
nous Importance. They are intensely
anxious to have $4,000 tons of this
! type of ship, which would mean two big
carriers, instead of the $4,000 tons as
signed them by the Hughes program.
Eager to Preserve Mutsu
They are eager to retain their new
battleship Mutsu, for which they were
given credit in the Hughes computa-
tions which ascertained the present
naval strength of the three nations as
being SO per cent completed, but which
was also cons gned to the scrap heap.
!; They arc willing to scrap older ships
in order to preserve the 5-53 ratio, or
they are willing for the United States
to complete the Colorado and for Brit
ain to go ahead with one or perhaps
two of the four Hoods which the Brit
, ish Parliament had authorized, al
though the keels have not been laid.
This last proposal, incidentally, is
, rot particularly satisfactory either to
Britain or the United States, hut espe-
cially not to Great Britain, as the Brit
ish have spent very little money on any
one of the Hoods and would like to
.. take 100 per cent advantage of the
naval holiday in saving money to their
taxpayers.
Japan herself, of course, is entirely
responsible for the fact that these
!. questions in which she has such a deep
interest have not been discussed by
the delegates in detail up to this time
She has been holding back her formal
acceptance of the b-5-3 ratio until she
.. was sure that the solution of the other
accept all the results of the conference
Pacific Agreement Ripening
.. The approval of the four-power
agreement with respect to the west
ern Pacific Islands, with the nearness
of an agreement on Notifications and
on Yap and the mandate islands, has
brought the situation almost to the
point at which the Japanese will be
willing to take the next formal step
on naval affairs, and it is believed that
the cables just received have indicated
the exact stage at which the naval
announcement can be made.
Shantung for the moment seems to
be the key to the situation. As soon
as this is within a notch of agree
!. ment. it is thought the Japanese will
t. start the detailed work o. closing up
. the other agreements.
Meanwhile Sunday was day of very
evident calm satisfaction on the part
Of every one concerned with the sArms~
Q ment Limitation Conference. No effort
t is made in Administration circles to
0 disguise the strong satisfaction over
a the achievements so far, and the very
n patent fact that other agreements de-
: sired are only a matter of smoothing
= out details, not adjusting delicate con-
e troversies which might through some
: slip wreck the success of the confer
d ence.
: This is not only true of the Ameri-
!. cans 1t is equally true of the British
c and of those in close teach with the
e Japanese. Some of the important Jap
anesc who accompanied their delega-
! tion to Washington already have gone
n home to prepare the Japanese ezeople
for an acceptance Of the fnal res0lts