The daily times., 1921-12-05
NV IA AA>0 NEfLlES
Confidence Prevails in Wash-
ington That the Japanese
Cabinet Now Considering the
American Naval Program in
Toxic Will Accept the Pro-
gram as Recommended.
tBy David Lawrence
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily


Times.)
Washington, Dec. 3-Absolute
confidence prevails among the high
est officials of the United States gov
ernment that the Japanese cabinet at
Toxic will approve the American nav
al program as recommended by the
Japanese delegation following the
conference between Secretary
Hughes. Arthur Balfour and Baron
Kato on Friday.
The situation will remain unchang
! ed for at least three or four days
while the lengthy cablegrams sent by
the Japanese delegation early today
journey to Toxic over the slow cable
routes of the Pacific.
Those who have been unable to un-
derstand the apparent slowness of
the negotiations at Washington need
only make inquiries concerning the
exact time that it takes to get reply
from Toxic by cable in .nese days of
(congested communication. In the first
place, the Japanese put their mes
Isages in code. To put a cablegram of
ordinary length in code takes several
3hours. To encipher a message describ-
ing in detail SO important a confer
ence as that which Messrs Balfour,
Hughes and Kato had on Friday pro-
badly took most of Friday night. The
icable experts say that in ordinary
times it takes at least SO hours for a
lreply to be obtained to a message
sent to Toxic. While Japanese gov
|ernment messages are given prefer
lence, the chances are it will take at
least SO hours for all the japanese
: Icablegrams to reach Toxic when
another delay is encountered for the
messages have then to be decoded
and placed before the Japanese cab
met for consideration.
Matters of such moments as the nav
al ratio that shall exist for the mex
ten years between the United States
japan and Great Britain are not dis
Iposed of quickly and the chances art
that all of Monday and probably Tue
Iday will t4 consumed in cablne
=, council at Toxic. Then the decision
must be put in code and be sent owe
the long Pacific cables which hav'
lrelays at two or three stations eI
, route from Japan to the Unite'
States. On arrival here, the import
ant reply must be decided and care
fully examined. Some times garble
J., cable has to be in part repeated.
In any event it is not expected tha
any decisive development on tn
naval ratio program will be know
J. ibefore the middle of next week VINE
la plenary session may be held to an
tnounce to the public the conclusion
that have been reached.
Meanwhile the Japanese delegatio
i, here is powerless to act. The impre:
, lsion prevails that Baron kato ha
recommended to his government tn;
the American naval ratio be accepted
This statement is based upon the o.
timistic manner of Secretary Hugh'
the British and Japanese delegation
and also upon certain intimatio1
given in official quarters that ma
> ters were proceeding favorably. Tho
who have heard Secretary Hugh
explain the American position
naval ratios and who know what
has said in the private conferenc
feel confident that any favorable to
% given to the situation at this tin
can only be based upon the fact tn
the American delegation has "sto
pat" and insisted upon an unqua
fed Eyes" or mo" before goi
much further in the discussion
nd naval matters.
ic- Just how much of a part the OUT
rs ton of Notifications or the renew
of the Anglo-Japanese alliance play
(Continued on Page Si1.3