Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-06
NAVAL TREATY MAY
/. COST j. s. BILLIONS
BY HERBERT COREY

WASHINGTON, ID. C.-ThiS Is to
be funny story. It shall sparkle
with wit and humor. It shall shake
with laughter. It may be that
Americans will not be able to get
many grins out Of 1t. It is even
quite possible that the Japanese will
hiss outwardly instead of inwardly,
as Is their custom when pleased.
Nevertheless 1t is a funny story
If true. AS yet 1t has not progress
ed past the status of rumor. But it
sounds real.
Some months ago we-all Of us
enlightened nations-agreed upon a
scrap.the-navy treaty at Washing
ton. We were to hammer our super
dreadnaughts into catboats and sell
our great guns for lawn rollers. The
fact may be remembered. Every
one agreed that it was one of the
longest strides that had yet been
made toward peace on earth. good
will to men. That treaty-if accept.
ed by all the nations-might not
make war impossible, but it would at
least make it improbable.
It had an especial bearing upon
the relations of the United States
and Japan. Little by little it is be-
ing admitted that responsible states
men of both nations believe they
were headed direct toward war
They were starting upon a naval
race. and naval races usually Wind
up in fight. Japan must either
abandon her naval aspirations,
which being a proud and militaris-
tic nation she was not apt to do,
or in despair at rivalling the ship
building power Of the United States
would have forced a war before
bankruptcy came. The scrap-the-
navies treaty was very acceptable
to Japan, because she was able to
stop her ruinous shipbuilding pro-
gram and still maintain that DO.
sition of eastern dominance she
cherished.
But the other nations have not
ratified the treaty. A chill wind of
doubt is beginning to penetrate the
inner Businesses Of the state depart.
ment. There are persons in the
state department who are beginning
to wonder. They are beginning to
suspect that before ratification
Great Britain and France will de-
mand a price.
Said price being approximately
eleven billion dollars. Or approx
mately 500 from each person in the
United States. ~;
Great Britain and France know
more inter national politics than we
do. We are learning fast-the most
confirmed believer in our national
backwardness will not deny that -
but we have not learned it all yet.
1t was our idea to begin with. Ours
was the pride of authorship. If the
navies are scrapped we. need no
longer fear that we will be pushed
into an undesired war with Japan.
It would save the American taxpayer
money, and he needs it.
So the rumor goes that we can
have the notifications if we cancel
Europe's Indebtedness to us. That
condition was not mentioned at the
scrap-the-ships conference, it is true,
but are we not all friends? Any.
how, we may not be able to collect
those debts. Anyhow, does the state
department want to lose face, after
having had all those pleasant
things said about it's treaty?
But, granting the state depart.
ment would like to trade those bad
debts for notifications, how can the
state department persuade con-
gress? ~. ....
The laugh was delayed. I'll grant
you, but here it is. And isn't it a
good one?
LIVER TROTRTES