Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-11
Minority Report on Treaty
Analysed as Factor i'm Fight

The popular view of the minority
report of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee on the London naval reduc-
ton treaty is that it represents the
opposition in Congress. Issue is taken
particularly with the contention of Sen
atorS Johnson, Moses and Robinson OF
Indiana that it is a billion dollar treaty
for the purchase of naval inferiority. .
The IL objections raised by the dissent
ing Senators form the chief subject OF
the discussion.
1T is preposterous, in the opinion OF
the New York World, ito say that we
were outmaneuvered by the British and
Japanese, when the facts are that they
have agreed to stand still in practically
all categories while we build furiously
to equal them in some and surpass them
in Others" The World argues as to the
American delegates: They got Britain
to accept an inferiority of about 81 to
10, and Japan to accept an inferiority
of 6 to 10. They entered the conference
with an inferior big-cruiSer fleet and
they came out with the right to have a
decisive superiority" In support of this
position the Dayton Daily News quotes
the statement by Earl Beatty, admiral
of the British fleet, before the House of
Lords that England got the worst of
the London treaty, because it was the
only nation that made any reduction
Of its sea strength"
Referring to Senator Johnsons state
ment that the treaty lis un-American,
that it gives us inferiority to instead of
parity with Great Britain, and that if
we sign 1t we may do an injury to our
growing commerce." the Columbus
Ohio State Journal contends: while
1t is almost apparent that the treaty,
If ratified, will not work to our benefit
in any way that we can discover, we do
not oppose 1t for the same reason that
the Senator does. We can view
the treaty only as it affects the United
States, and, viewing it from that angle.
1t is apparent that the treaty neither
reduces ornaments nor expenses for
armament, and it doesn't contain
within 1t the slightest impetus toward
that noble but theoretical cause of a
lasting peace among nations The few
limited agreements which are contained
In it are robbed of their power by the
safeguard clause, which allows any of
the signatory powers to break its prom
lses of limitation if, in its own unsup-
ported opinion, a power not bound by
the treaty adds to its navy in any
amount that the signatory power be-
lieVes dangerous to itself"
x X X X
Answering Senator Johnson's "fever-
iSh announcement" with the contention
that 'oyerstatement is less effective
than understatement," the Springfield
Union says: "A treaty that could grant
to every nation everything it desired
would be no treaty. A political world
that could produce such treaty would
have no need of one. If Con-
gress takes advantage of the privileges
accorded under the treaty, this country
will be in a position in 1885 to demand
further parity and reductions of ton
nageS, for then we shall have regained
the ground lost between 1922 and 1880
owing to the failure of Congress to
exercise this country's option to build
cruisers during that period"
Opponents of the treaty are devising
reservations, states the Seattle Daily
Times, with the comment, obviously
If the United States should reserve the
right to go on building ships without
limitation as to number or type, the
whole purpose of the treaty is defeated,
for the other signatory nations could
not be denied the same right" The
Times suggests that "those Senators see
in treaty debate the last chance they
will have for some time to occupy any
place at all in public attention"
'Alarmist Senator'S advises the San
Jose Mercury-Herald, should read
Baron Shidehara's recent address be-
fore the Imperial Diet. In this he said:
1t is incumbent upon us to reserve to
ourselves perfect liberty to present at
the next conference whatever claims
may then appear suitable under the
given circumstances. That liberty is
explicitly provided for in the present
l treaty. There is no occasion for the
! apprehension that the treaty of London
is to bind us hand and foot for all
time. To show ones self unduly dis
turbed under the influence of so mis-