Evening star., 1929-12-12

President Hoover's appointment of
William r. Castle, jr., Assistant Sec
retary Of State, as special Ambassador
to Japan during the London naval con-
ference, is a highly significant act.
1t denotes, first of all, an earnest de-
sire on the part Of the administration
to remain in closest contact with the
Toxic government during the confer
ence.
At present, the United States Is rep
resented in Japan only by a diplomat
Of charge d'affaires rank edwin L.
Neville). The Japanese lay considerable
stress on representation" and Wash
ington recognizes the desirability of
having a spokesman Of ambaSSadorial
status in Toxic on naval conference
matters. 1t is a compliment to Nippon,
which, it Is felt at the White House and
the State Department will not fail to
be appreciated at Toxic.
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Mr.. Castle, who enjoys the conf
dence OF both President Hoover and
Secretary Stimson in high degree, will
leave for Japan Immediately after the
Japanese delegates, MessrS. WakatSuki
i
visit to Washington on December 10.
1t is planned to have the special Am
bassador arrive in Toxic before the
London conference opens, in order that
he may "orientate" himself about the
japanese viewpoint as thoroughly as
possible. Mr. Castle will, of course,
take an active part in all the discus
sionS to be held here next week be-
tween MeSSrS. Wakatsuki and Takarabe
and the Hoover administration.
Apart from the wish to establish as
between the American and Japanese
governments during the conference,
there is other significance to the Castle
mission. It reveals a recognition on
Washington's part that Japan has
raised certain important questions on
which at present the United States
does not see eye to eye with her. There
will be considerable giving-and-t taking
on both sides, in all probability, before
these differences are wiped out.
The American attitude will require
careful presentation. Ordinarily it would
be done by exchange of diplomatic
notes. But President Hoover and
Secretary Stimson attribute so much
Importance to the naval issues about to
come up for decision that they prefer
to have these submitted and, if neces-
sary, elucidated and defended by an
American spokesman fresh from the
scene at Washington.
X X 4
That Is the long and short OF the
Castle special ambassadorship-a step
designed in the hope and belief that it
effectually will pave the way to more
rapid understanding between the Amer
lean and Japanese governments on all
controversial questions.
Japan has put forward, more or less
formally and officially, three PROPOSE
tions, which she will support in London.
One of them concerns Japan and Great
Britain alone-NipponS desire for
abandonment of the great British naval
base at Singapore, on which the Mac
donald government recently ordered
work suspended pending the outcome
Of the London conference.
The other questions raised by the
Japanese concern both the United States
and Great Britain. One of these ques-
tions is Japan's demand for 10-10-7
cruiser ratio instead of the 5-5-3 ratio
| in battleshps fixed for the United
| States, Great Britain and Japan, re-
spectively, at the washington confer
ence of 1e2I-22 The second Anglo
American-Japanese question concerns
submarines. The Americans and the
| British would like to see submarines
abolished altogether. The Japanese in
tend to ask for 10000 tons of subma-
rines at London.
X 4 +
Mr.. Wakatsuki, chief japanese dele
gate, stated on the eve of his recent de-
parture for the United States: I'VE do
not consider that 70 per cent cruiser
ratio can be regarded as menace by
any other country. Our hope is that it
will be accepted not only as a reason
able, but as a moderate, standard" MIR
| Wakatsuki would not indicate whether
! the l0-l0-7 demand Is an irreduclble
minimum or not.
AS to submarines, he said that having