The daily times., 1921-12-16
MPROMISE WAS
FOUNDATION FOR
FINAL AGREEMENT
TO SATISFY JAPAN
American Naval Experts Do
Not Feel That They concede
Very Much to Japan in Let
ting the Mutsu Remain for
:; They Believe We Have Suf-
feieat Ships.
{By David Lawrence.l
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily


Washington, Dec. l5.-Com-
promise which is the basis OF all in
ternational agreement has been
found necessary to meet the pride and
sentiment OF the Japanese people.
Secretary Hughes. who started out
with an insistence on the acceptance
OF the program he offered has found
| the Japanese currents Of resistance
SO strong as to make it necessary to
give concessions. The Japanese
argued for q greater percentage of to-
tai tonnage and lost. They countered,
however. with a proposal that the
Mutsu, the most powerful type of
battleship yet built, should be retain
ed They argued that Japanese senti-
ment was wrapped up in the new
vessel, that it would be difficult to
scrap SO important ship without en-
(dangering the acceptance of the
whole program. So in order to satisfy
1.-THE Japanese, the American delegates
were persuaded that as practical
proposition the inclusion of the Mutt
isu didn't vitally affect the total arm
lament of the three big naval powers
land that possibly rearrangement OF
1.-THE vessels selected Cor the scrap heap
would be just as effective in the long
run.
Somewhat the same kind of tac-
tics were used by the Japanese in the
= negotiations over the Island Of YaI
Iwhere the mandate originally bestow
led upon Japan was clasped tenaci
Iously by the Japanese although mos
lof the exclusive rights and privileges
which it might otherwise conve!
we're granted to the United States.
In a nutshell, the American opinion
iseems to be that Japan can have al
1.-The superficial concessions she want
|if it makes little difference in sub
> stance. The American naval expert
lido not feel that they are conced1ni
livery much to Japan in letting tn
lMutsu remain for they insist that IN
. ''lequivalent number of American bat
!tleships retained is more than suffi
Icient to Offset any advantage whic
the Mutsu might appear to have Civ
9 en-.
Still the naval experts are the las
people in the world to object to an
increase in tonnage for any countr
so long as it is proportionate. Dee
3 in their hearts they have not locke
vi
+, pect of scrapping nice new battle
ships upon which so much money ha
1, been spent The Japanese desire t
keep the Mutsu has therefore worke
lout to the advantage of those expert
s in all countries who felt that tn
Hughes proposal should merely be
2, starting point and that revisino VI
ward should be made before the cor
c. ference came to a final agreement.
The arms conference has relegate
Far Eastern questions to a secondar
place for the moment while all a
r. tention is concentrated on naval ma
s, tiers. The hope is that plenary Sc
sion may be held on Saturday of tn
ment may be formally proclaimed.
3, But while the conference has p'
the Far Eastern tangle aside tent;
2. lively, the prospects are that II
most acute situation Of all has y
4 to develop with respect to Chin
The delegates from the later countl
have been sitting patiently waitir
Ifor the conference to accompli'
It something concrete for China besid
o. mere declarations of principles. TT
ck Chinese have been given promis
ed and pledges of the same kind befor
IN While they are not openly expires
so ing any disapproval of the new fou
he power pact they admit privately tn
ri the new treaty places no restrain