Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-14
Ianan Fayors a Naval Cut.


tation, but actual naval reduction, ac-
cording to a statement made by Pre-
Inier Hamaguchi. That puts three OF
the nations invited to the five-power
naval conference in London next jan
uary on record through their govern
mental Spokesman as favorable to the
proposed cuts in naval ornaments.
President Hoover and Ramsay Macdon-
aid, prime minister of Great Britain,
in their joint statement issued prior
to MFR. Macdonalds departure from
washington, committed themselves to
such q program. The word coming now
frcn the Far East gives added hope of
an accord. The world is waiting anx-
iously to know the attitude of the
French and italian governments, as 1t
win be expressed in their replies to
the British invitation. The French
cabinet is slated to consider the invi-
tation today.
The Japanese premier voices the view
not alone of his own political party,
but of the overwhelming sentiment of
his people today. The japanese, Pre-
mier Hamaguchi asserts, do not resent
the assignment of Japan to a naval
ratio inferior to that of the United
States and Great Britain. But that
ratio, he says, must not fall below
the minimum requirements for the
safety of the empire. The qualifying
statement Is natural. 1t is the desire
of al the nations to take proper steps
for safeguarding their peoples, the
United States and Britain along with
the rest. The japanese premier, how
ever, takes a view of the armament
situation much like that of the execu-
tive heads of the United States and
British governments when he says:
We are hopeful that the diSarma-
fI1ent problem is entering a brighter
phase. We hope TO see this intensified
as the result Of the five-power con-
ference that Is to assemble In London
next January.
Japan's attitude at the Washington
conference on naval limitation and the
problems of the Pacific in 1922 was
helpful. In the naval limitation treaty
that emanated from that conference
Japan accepted the ratio of three, as
compared to the ratio of flve-five agreed
to for America and Britain. That
ratio was for battleships and airplane
carriers. Whether the same ratio viii
be acceptable in all categories Of naval
vessels, the japanese delegation at the
coming conference will make clear.
The Washington conference, whatever
else 1t accomplished, settled q number
Of questions Of great Importance In re-
lation to the affairs of the Pacific. AS
the years have progressed talk of pos
sible conflict between Japan and the
United States has faded so far into the
background that the voice Of the jingoes
In either country has become less than
q whisper. Japan occupies position
Of great importance In the AFFAIRS OF
the East. Her strength has been dem
onstrated again and again in that area,
It is quite evident, however, that a
supremacy is not Japan's need, SO lar
as her Eastern neighbors, China ana
Russia, are concerned.
The policy of the present japanese
government has been one Of retrench-
ment and of industrial development and
the fostering of Japanese trade. The
tremendous burden of taxation which
falls on any people when their govern
ment builds and carries in commission
huge navy does not appeal to the Jap
anese. It is a burden which they as
well as other peoples would gladly see
reduced. The statement of the Jap
anese premier, therefore, is such as may
well have been expected.