Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20
i. S.-JAPAN NAVAL
TALKS EXPECTED
Conversations Preliminary to
London Farley Would .
Smooth Way for Pact.

The United States and Japan,
brought into closer understanding by
their mutual desire to reduce world
navies, will in all probability hold con-
versations preliminary to the FIVE
power naval conference, somewhat as
France and italy and the United States
and Great Britain have undertaken
Jointly in advance to remove obstacles
in the path of general naval agree
ment.
The Japanese embassy was authority
for the word yesterday that the. Japa-
fese delegation very probably, would
stop over in Washington for q few
days en- route to the London parley.
In such an event, they will improve
the opportunity to confer with Henry l..
Stirnson, Secretary Of State, who is to
head the American delegation, and pos
sibly with President Hoover.
While there is no outstanding naval
problem between the United States and
Japan in particular, these two powers
lack common viewpoint Of the SUBJ
marine question, and the suggested in
formal meeting in Washington would
give an opportunity to American Of
f1cials to state our position with respect
to this and some other questions.
May Seek compromise.
Reconciled to the probability that
total abolition of submarines by inter-
national agreement is not to be ex-
pected, President Hoover and Ramsay
Macdonald, prime minister of Great
Britain, will strive for a compromise TO
reduce submarine forces substantially,
1t is said in informed administration
quarters.
On the submarine question, Japan
lines up with France and Italy in op.
position to the Anglo-American plan
for absolute scrapping Of undersea
craft as of little value except to sink
merchantmen. in view of the develop
ment of depth bombs and airplanes, to
say nothing of destroyers.
These three smaller powers consider
the submarine indispensable to their
peculiar national defense needs, but In
practically every other respect Japan
appears to be in agreement with the
United States and Great Britain. In
fact, it was Japan which first proposed
to Secretary Stimson that an attempt
be made to extend the life of capital
ships from 20 to IS years or longer
which is one of the questions to be con-
sidered in the conference to begin in
London in the third week of January.
anu 4ldly- IL II JIlOuSiL, VIII
offer no objection to such a capital
ship plan and, indeed. might not object
to abolition Of the dreadnaught type Of
warships.
See End Of Big Ships.
There are many naval experts in the
United States and Great Britain who
agree with French, italian and Jap
anese experts that the days of big war.
ships as a type of naval craft are num-
bered, in view of the development Of
| the large cruiser types which, in q
sense. led to the conference now pro.
jected.
The American Japanese advance dis.
cusSion will be one of several In prog.
ress between different groups of the five
/ nations that are to sit around the coun.
Gil table in London and try to cut dowr
world navies.
With an Anglo-American naval &C.
cord developed, the most important o
these preliminaries Is the attempt o
France and Italy to come to nava
agreement between themselves.
An adjustment of the differences be
tween these two Mediterranean power
is virtually a prerequisite to a genera
agreement assuring reduction as well a
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