Evening star., 1927-05-17
5-4-4- CRUISER RATIO
FAVORED IN TOXIC
important Delegation to At
tend Geneva Conference
With Open Mind.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Sadao Sabur. secretary general of
the Japanese delegation To the
impending Anglo -American-Japanes
naval limitation conference at Geneva.
has arrived in Washington en- route
10 Switzerland. lie brings assurances
that Iapan approaches the three power
meeting convened by President Cool
idge with sincerity and seriousness. ''
Japan will enter the conference ia y
spirit If readiness TO give rull and
open-minded consideration TO any feas-
ihle proposals for limitation of auXili-
airy naval craft.
Toxic is aware Of the United States
general hope of applying the Boa capi-
tai. ship ratio of the Washington con
ference To cruisers, deStroyers. sub
marines and other secondary vessels.
hut the Japanese understand that
America. at Geneva. in June. will not
seek adoption of any program fixed
tpon in advance. Our Government, in
other words, will not this time spring
any Hughes hombShell' like the one
which opened proceedings a { Washing
ton in November, 1921. At Geneva pro
grams are to develop, the Japanese
exnect as a result of discussion and
demonstrated practicability from the
various stanlpoints of the conferring
powers.
Delegates From Toxic.
The importance Japan attaches ia
the conference is atteSted bV the
caliher and size cf the delegation she
is sending to il. NisCount Saito. chief
Of the delegation. is an elder states
man" approaching 20 and one Of
Japan's astute leaders. Although now
governor general of Korea. Saito is
1rso &c
tired from active service as a vice
admiral 10 become Japanese naval
minister in 1906 AS young officer,
Saito saw duty in the United States
IS or 80 wears ago. NisCount IShH,
now Ambassador at Paris. is the
senior member of the Japanese diplo-
matte service. He is well known in
Washington. where he was Ambassa-
dor during the World War. and at
Toxic is looked upon as an uncommon
lv sbrewd internatinal negotator
Mr. Saburi. the secretary general and
virtually the third Japanese delegate.
will bring to Geneva the valuable
experience of service during the
Washington armament conference
ard several subsequent years as
counselor Of the japanese embassy
here.
Japan is dispatching TO Geneva a
conference staff no less impressive
numerically than from the standpoint
of ability Messrs. Saito. Ishii and
Saburi will head a delegation of more
than so naval and military officers
and diplomatic experts. including sew
eral admirals Toxic is Enthusiastically
preparing. as it prepared at Wash
ington five years ago, TO defend
Japan's right. because of her insular
position in the Pacific and her in
terests on the mainland of Asia. to
remain powerful at sea. Her claims
will be based on what she believes to
he certain irreducible defensive neces-
sities. she will proclaim her desire to
contribute Japan's full share to the
maintenance of world peace. hut al
ways with the frank assertion of
the empires military and naval re-
quirements.
5-4--l Ratio Advocated.
The japanese defense budget" for
1926 totaled 100000, 900. 4 little
more than half was spent on the
Navy. japanese taxes, as elsewhere,
are hurtiensome. The government is
constantly endeavoriEg to cut ez-
pense and devote more money to con-
structive things. Recent japanese
financial disturbances have Whetted
statesmen's anxiety in those direc-
tions. But particularly under the new
government now in power. with Baron
Tanaka. a former general, as prime
minister. defensive needs are assured
of determined support. although Ia
naka is not charged with militarist
tendencies.
Semi-official Japanese utterances.
since President Coolidge brought about
the Geneva conference, have strongly
indicated Japan's reluctance to reduce
materially her present building pro-
gram for cruisers, destroyers and sub
marines. Having accepted capitalship
inferiority TO Great Britain and the
United States. the Japanese are plain
ly disinclined to remain weaker in
auxiliary ships. Responsible japanese
newspapers already are demanding
that the Geneva conference place ia
pan and the United States on level
of equality in non-capital ships. They
are calling for a 5--4-4 ratio, with
Great Britain allowed the correspond
ing margin of superiority owing TO
her globe girdling imperial naval
needs.
Reasoning of Japanese.
Some idea of the japanese reason
ing now IN progress Is aTIOfued by Inc
following editorial comment from the
important Osaka Mainichi," which
has just reached Washington:
The implied intention Of the United
States is to apply the 5-5-3 capital
ship ratio 10 subsidiary weapons.
Japan and Great Britain object to this.
unanimously insisting upon making
the existing strength of their fleets
their standards Of national defense.
For this reason it becomes necessary
10 work out a new ratio through ad-
iustment of differences. The United
States claims she should be allotted