The Washington herald., 1922-03-21

The bitterest debate the Senate
has heard since the hght over the
four-power treaty began was pre-
cipitated yesterday when Senator
Borah Of Idaho. read into the record
stenographic report 81 state
ment attributed 60 Paul n Cravath.
counsel for powerful New York bank.
ing interests, and delivered before
the foreign trade council, to the rf-
fect that the United States had en-
tered into a secret agreement with
Great Britain TO cooperate against
sIpan in the Pacific
Mr.. Cravath is reported 70 have
said on February Il:
Now, TO my mind. a -ery import
ant part Of the achievement Of the
Washington conference is not re-
corded at all in black and white in
that treaty. or in any Of the Other
treaties negotiated. And that ~ the
bringing about OF what seems TO be
a sympathetic understanding be-
tween Great Britain and tho United
States regarding the Far East ana
the Pacific generally.
Sees Basis OF Co-operatTon.
Il quite agree that under the pro-
gram produced by these treaties we
have practically surrendered our
naval position in the Pacific as
sumo that without further fortifica-
tions in the Pacific and that with
the forihcations and fleets agreed
upon, We could not successfully
compete with Japan in the Pacific
alone. and certainly we could not
compete with an Anglo-Jspsnese
feet in that region.
'On the other hand and 20 my
mind this is the much more cncour-
aging statement based on the same
facts. an Anglo American fleet in
the Pacific would dominate Japan
and IL seems TO me We have sub
stituted in place OF the necessity for
creating the greatest feet the world
has ever seen. with all the expense
and temptations that involves, an
understanding and basis for coop
GRAFTON with Great Britain which
gives these two powers the control
OF a combined feet in the Pacific
which will be large enough 20 DOM
mate Japan and make her live UP
70 the obligations she has assumed"
Questioned by Davis.
Norman II. Davis Under Secretary
Of State in the Wilson administra-
! llOu- VINO nApDentO 10 De present at
the meeting. inquired:
Il want TO know il YOU are MAX
ing that statement as a fact or is
would happen"
Mr.. Cravath responded:
Il have been told by every mem
Der Of the American delegation and
while have not been told by every
member Of the British delegation, I
know definitely that tho view is
/ held by Mr.. Balfour and 7 think by
every other member OF the British
delegation. that the result 81 tho
Washington conference has been
not a formal agreement Ey aEv
means. but an understanding, and
such a degree of understanding and
such basis OF sympathy has been
created between Great Britain and
the United States. that both sides
assume that in all future emergencies
they can both count on having the
closest cooperation"
Explains His Meaning.
Mr.. Davis intercepted:
No. that isn't what mean. What
] mean is as to the agreements on
fortification and the agreement as
to the naval ratio-do you mean 10
say that both fleets would dominate
the Japanese feet"
Mr.. Cravath explained as follows:
of course I have no independents
knowledge Of that I am not a ma
val expert, and have no independent
opinion on that point. but am in
formed that our technical advisers
are satisfied that IL the United
States and Great Britain are on one
side and Japan on the other that the
Anglo-American fleet and the entire
Anglo-American naval position
would dominate that OF Japan n
Japanese waters.
AS / say. I have no independent
opinion OF my own on that am
simply repeating what ! have been
told in Washington. But. in an
events, We are very much better OF.
IL / am right in assuming that un-
DERIVING sympathy with Great
Britain, than We would have been
with as large a feet as the one we
have had in contemplation and our
building program, being opposed
with the largest feet that Japan
would find herself physically able
to build, and Great Britain being
bound as a matter Of course. 10 keep
pace with both"
Sees Naval Position Improyrd.
so. assuming that our theory of
Anglo-American co-operatton -
well grounded. il does seem TO me.
that our naval position as aga' 'nsI
Japan has been improved rather
than weakened. and We have the
great advantage in the reduction or
our naval program and all hat
means financially and otherwise"
Senator Borah described Mr..
Cravath as a "leadeE-Of the bar and
the representative OF -" most I'm
portant corporate and banking
N.lf.1asl - D10c T.aS