Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-17
Morrow, Reed and Castle
Meet With Wakatsuki,
Takarabe and DebuChi.
CONFIDENCE AND AMITY
REFLECTED IN STATEMENT
Stressing Desire for Actual Cut,
Toxic Representatives Urge
Defense Needs.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

IlG OLlIlSu OJdbSS hAAA JAPoAAs bAAA NN6A
their delegates to the London naval
conference, today will begin friendly
discussion of the problems of naval
limitation and reduction as they affect
particularly the two countries.
Japans program. so far as it has been
revealed, looks to 10-10-7 ratio for
auxiliary naval craft, with the United
States and Great Britain represented
by 10 and Japan by Z. 1t looks also to
the retention of 10,000-ton cruisers and
submarines.
The japanese are Stressing the fact
that they are keenly anxious not only
for a limitation of naval strength by
the great naval powers, but also for an
actual reduction. At the same time,
they are urging their naval needs for
national defense. They regard the SUBJ
marine as essentially defensive weapon
and are not prepared to give it up, al
though that is matter which has been
close to the hearts of Great Britain.
Will Visit Stimson's Home.
The Japanese delegates, Reijiro Wa
katsuki and Admiral Takarabe, &C
companied by the japanese AmbaSsa-
dor, Mr.. Debuchi, are to meet with
Secretary StimSon at the home of Mr..
row and Senator David A. Reed of
Pennsylvania, both members of the
American delegation to the London
conference. and William H. Castle, jr.,
the new American Ambassador to ia
pan, will attend the informal confer
ence also. Secretary StimSon heads
the American delegation.
The attitude of the United States
toward the request of the Japanese for
a 10-10-7 ratio with regard to auxiliary
naval craft has not been indicated of
ficially. 1t is a matter that will doubt
less have to be threshed out in the con-
ference at London, particularly as it is
a question in which the British will be
interested as well as the United States
and Japan.
However, the matter of the ratio of
Japanese naval strength is one that
probably will be given careful conSid-
Grafton during the informal confer
ences here; and, as the Japanese dele
gates will arrive in London well in ad-
vance of the opening of the conference,
it is expected that they will have an
opportunity to go into the matter thor
oughly with the British before the
opening of the five-power conference on
January 81.
The japanese accepted a 5-5-3
ratio in connection with the limitation
of capital ships and aircraft carriers
at the Washington naval limitation con-
ference. 1t is the contention of the
japanese now, however, that they re-
quire higher ratio in the auxiliary
craft, regarded more particularly as the
defensive rather than the offensive
weapons of the navy.
Believes in Larger Cruisers.
AS does the United States, Japan be-
lieves in the 10,000-ton cruiser. The
British in the past have argued for
smaller cruisers, but Judging from the
informal conferences between the rep
resentatives of this country and Britain
before the calling of the London con-
ference, the 10,000-ton cruiser is to all
intents and purposes accepted by the
British.
Japan, it is understood, will urge that
30, 900 tons of submarines be accorded
her in any naval limitation treaty that
may be drawn. This is approximately
her submarine strength today. She IS
not asking, 1t is said, for any exempt"
class of submarines-the smaller type
cruising radius. Japan will accept
lump sun tonnage of submarines and
will not seek permission to build SUBJ
marines Of any variety beyond that fig
ure, 1t is said.
In reply to questions at conference
with representatives of the press last
night at the Japanese embassy, Wakat-
Suki, the principal delegate, said that
while Japan looked with favor on the
proposal that capital ships be abolished,
the japanese delegates had no intention
of bringing forward that question at the
coming conference. He added that he
did not think it was a practical question
for the conference to handle. It is not
the intention of the Japanese, either, to
bring forward any question about the
British base at Singapore
will Argue Submarines.
The Japanese will asst for 70 per cent
of the 10,000-ton cruiser tonnage fixed
for the nation having the highest num-
Der of these cruisers. it was explained.
1t has been suggested in some quarters
that the United States would have l8 or
81 of these cruisers to Is for the British.
with the British having a larger tonnage
of smaller cruisers.
While the British are understood to
be willing that the United States should
have a larger number of the 10,000-ton
cruisers than is fixed for Britain, doubt
has been expressed that she will agree
to Japan's having 70 per cent Of the
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