The New York herald., 1922-12-30
HES SAYS EUROPE CAN'T RECUPERATE If GERMANY DOESN'T

craft. including light scruisers, fiotila
leaders and destroyers,- should be as
follows:
For the United States. 100000 tons !;
for the British Empire, 100000 tons I;
for Japan, 100000 tons. Unfortunately
this Limitation was not secured. / shall
not review the reasons for this. but
may say that the failure is not at
tributable to us.
American Position Is Same.
THE American position is just the
same as 1t was at the conference. and
we should welcome the opportunity to
make the agreement upon this subject
that we then proposed. SO far as / am
able to see the difficulties that then
stood in the way of such an agreement
between the Powers signatory to the
treaty still stand
1T should be noted, however, that
while the naval treaty does not limit
the total tonnage. or the tonnage of
particular classes of auxiliary COM
batant craft. 1t does limit the size and
armament of individual vessels of this
sort. The treaty effectively limits capt.
tai ship tonnage. and a capital ship, in
the case of ships hereafter built. Is de-
fined as a vessel Of war other than an
aircraft carrier, with a displacement
Of more than 10000 tons or which car
ries gun exceeding a caliber of eight
inches. The tonnage OF aircraft car
riers is limited.
The treaty provides that no vessels
of war exceeding 10000 tons Except
capital ships and aircraft carriers as
stipulated under the treaty. may be
constructed by, or, or within the jur-
isdiction of any of the contracting Pow
ers. This Is a substantial limitation.
AS to light cruisers the United
States Is not as we'll supplied as it
should be- but the treaty does not in
terfere with adequate provision by the
United States to supply this want and
1t should be supplied. This may be
done on basis which Z have no doubt
all Powers would recognize as reason
able and without starting an injurious
competition.
Moreover. at the worst. 1t should be
remembered that competition in combat
ant craft of not more than 10000 tons
with S-inch guns is very different
thing than unlimited competition in the
monster battleships of over 10000 tons
and which in the case of the protected
Hoods were running to nearly 10000
tons.
New Agreement Needed.
While the three great naval Powers
are not under an agreement as to linz
itation upon the total tonnage OF aux
iliary combatant craft, it ought to be
possible to arrange a modus vivendi
which would preclude a wasteful and
unnecessary competition. While plans
are now being made by other Powers for
new construction of auxiliary conbatant
craft, there Is nothing that can be called
in any degree alarming. The point OF
difficulty, so far as the United States
is concerned is that there is not
proper balance In its navy because of
the lack of light cruisers, but as ! have
said. this could properly be remedied.
Pacific and Far Eastern Questions
The indirect result of the conference in
the Shantung settlement was. as / have
said. of controlling Importance. The
four Power treaty in the simplest man
ner solved a great problem while pledg-
ing nothing contrary to our traditions.
1t created the atmosphere Of peace and
confidence in friendly relations. and at
the same, time provided for the imme-
date termination Of the Anglo Japanese
alliance, thus disposng of one of the
most difficult questions relating to the
Far East.
THE Chinese treaties give China q
magma charta. We could not provide
stability for China. but we did provide
assurances of respect for her sover-
eighty. independence and territorial and
administrative integrity, and the full
and most unembarrassed~ opportunity
to develop and maintain for. herself an.
efficient and stable government. We
Rave done all that we can do fer China
short OF the interference which she re-
sents and we condemn.
For the first time the principle of the
open door, or equality of commercial OPP
.ortunity in its application to China
las the sanction of a precise definition
in appropriate treaty provisions. We
were not content with general statement
of principles; we proceeded to particu-
lars.
There is another reason for this
course II we enter another conference
We should have an assured basis for a
proper agreement by maintaining our
existing relative strength We have es-
tablished fair ratio based on existing
strength as II stood at the time OF the
conference and this ratio should not be
altered to our prejudice
Policy OF the Naval Treaty.-The
policy of limiting armaments by inter-
rational agreement has widespread ap-
proval. There Is no doubt that II has
the support Of a preponderant sentiment
in this country. 1t seems to be the only
way to avoid either self-imposed sacri-
flee of security by independent limita-
ton or a competition involving most
vasteful expenditures and provocative
OF war. If you wish peace you must
pursue the paths of peace. Reasonable
precaution in a prudent preparation for
contingencies Is one thing; "A bellcose
disposition and threatening gestures and
preparation are quite different
To n peace loving democracy what
could be more agreeable than reason
able security under an agreement which
halts n wasteful competition in arma-
rient?
Points TO Real Question.
'"rhe question really comes, not to
thc advsability of such an agreement
IN the abstract. but TO the fairness of a