Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
FARLEY EXPECTED
ITO BOLSTER TREATY.
Move for Conference II Peace
4 Is Menaced May Be
~ Adopted at London.
: By PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

News. CoDYriEhts 1923.
PARIS, December Ala proposal at
the London Naval Conference to
strengthen the Kellogg world peace
treaty by making q general agreement
30 confer II any Signatory power con-
eiders peace Is threatened now seems q
certainty, owing to the favorable atti-
tude OF Japan.
Great Britain, France and Japan now
all favor this measure, which, it is be-
aieved, the United States also Is study
ing sympathetically as q means OF saw
ING the naval conference in case Of 3
deadlock on the issue Of naval ratios.
japanese Hold Stage.
The Franco-Italian naval negotia-
tionS are still struggling along lamely
without much hope of success, and
France has dispatched a special repre-
sentative to London to explain French
views to the British. But for the mo-
nlent 1t Is the Japanese delegation
which holds the center Of the naval
stage. This delegation, one Of the most
important that Japan has ever sent
abroad, has just concluded four days
OF diplomatic conversations at WASH
ington and Is proceeding to London,
where 1t will promptly engage in fur
Their preliminary talks with the British.
Meanwhile, Naotoke Sato, chief sec
rotary of the delegation. who came via
Siberia, will discuss matters with For
eign Minister BRAND in Paris. 1t Is
believed here that the Washington
statement about the Japanese Amer
ican agreement in principle changes
nothing fundamentally in either the
Japanese or American viewpoints,
which on some questions are known
to be widely separated.
There is nothing secret about Japan'S
Intentions. Indeed. the japanese posi-
ton can be summarized in 10 points as
follows:
/. Japan wants the Kellogg pact
taken as the basis of the present con-
ference and all decisions made in ac-
cordance with this pact. 1t favorS
STRENGTHENING of this pact by q new
agreement couched III terms similar TO
the four-power Pacific treaty, whereto
the United States is a party. In this
it agrees with Great Britain and
France, whereas the United States and
Italy are still non cOmmital.
2. Like the United States and Italy,
Japan believes naval tonnageS are now
too high and wants drastic reductions,
but both Great Britain and France
oppose this view on the ground that
their nayieS are based upon absolute
minimum needs.
8. Japan appears to like the So
NAlied French compromise idea, which
the United States also at one time
adopted and Italy approved, but Great
Britain disapproves OF the idea that
tonnage ratios not utilized in one class
should be transferable to another.
FavOrs Cut in Capital Ships.
4. Regarding capital ships, Japan
would delay their replacement to 1896,
f1x their duration for 25 years and re-
auce their size upon replacement to
a, 900 tons, with no guns larger than
II inches. Italy wants a similar agree
rnent, but America Is heSitant.
5. The same diplomatic lineup APP
pears on aircraft carriers, which Japan
treHIlS rAdllce to 10000 tons.
u. Japan claims Ito ratio in big
cruisers. which, IL in effect and Britain
has Is and the United States 10, would
enable Japan to retain her present IL
big cruisers. But If Britain has Is and
America 81, 1t would oblige Japan to
build. Japan would prefer to see the
big cruiser tonnage cut down. In this,
as in other ratio demands, France sup
ports Japan, but the United States and
Great Britain prefer to see the 5-3
ratio established at the Washington
conference retained in auxiliaries as
well as capital ships.
smaller cruisers.
8. Japan claims TO ratio In de-
stroyerS.
9. Japan. like France. opposes aboli-
ton OF the submarine, which Great
Britain, supported apparently by the
United States and Italy. strongly de-
sire. Japan claims full parity with
Britain and the United States in sub
marines.
10. Japan seems to agree with the
United States and Great Britain that
sought II the five-power agreement
fails.
Problem Is Involved.
Therefore. only ON points /, 2, 3
and 10 Is the japanese view, it APP
pears, completely harmonious with
that Of the United States at present,
while it agrees also with Great Britain
and Italy on four points, but with
France on seven. This seems to indi-
cate that final solution including ia
pan, but excluding France, may raise
difhculty, for how could concessions on
ratios be made to Japan, but refused to
France?
The japanese argument in favor of q
higher cruiser ratio is that capital ships
and cruisers are not in the same class
Cruisers have special duties To perform,
based on sea routes, coast lines, size of
the merchant marine and foreign trade,
which the United States, Japan asserts,
taeitly admitted in allowing Britain a
larger cruiser tonnage than her own.
Under all japanese claims and argu-
nents seem TO lie the fundamental poll
icy. based on five considerations, as fol-
lows:
l. An earnest desire for peace.
2. The idea of defensive parity, which
means the Japanese fleet In its own
waters must equal any possible single
invading fleet: hence the ratio Of TO,
which estimates roughly that seven jap
anese cruisers in home waters may be
considered as equalling ten cruisers at
tempting to cross the ocean TO war upon
Japan.
Asks China Sea Control.
J. The absolute economic necessity
that Japan control the China Sea and
communications with the ASiatic main
land, from which It draws a large part
Of its essential supplies; hence Japan's
claim for parity In large submarines
and no limit upon the small.
4. The assertion of predominant in
terests In Far Eastern waters. The Jap
anese are believed so keen on this point
that we're the United States to offer
them assurances that America admits
this, as Japan admits the principle of
the Monroe Doctrine, Japan might ac-
cept even smaller ratios.
5. Financial economy. Japan's pro-
gram requires 1866, 900, 900 yen for her
expenditures on the navy between 1880
and 1912. japanese opinion is adverse to
making these heavy sacrifices. Japan's
present appropriation is only about one
half Of what Is considered necessary for
this program, hence Tokio's reluctance
to see the London conference result i'll