Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-27
Navy Day and Limitation.

Whether by accident or design,
Great Britain, Japan and the United
States chose october 81, Navy day in
this country, as the date for q spec
tacular, globe-encircling radio broad
cast, wherein was proclaimed the inn
mtnent exchange Of the documents
Tatifying the tfree-power limitation
pact of 1880. Listeners throughout the
world this morning heard Premier
Hamaguchi of Japan,s Prime Minister
Macdonald of Great Britain and the
President of the United States acclaim
In brief but president words the bless
ings of the treaty. These consist, in
Mr.. Hoover's phrase at the White
House, of "the substitution of mutual
trust, good will and confidence for sus-
picion and competition" in the realm
of naval building. In another striking
passage, the President described the
effects of the nglo-American-Ja jap
anese agreement as fair to all, dam
gerous to none"
No statement of the President will
rugged expression of his hope that the
rule of common sense" will continue
to prevail, so that the cause Of naval
limitation will progress. Mr.. Hoover
did not fail to dwell upon the barrier
that lies across its path in the form
Of the Franco-Italian impasse. But he
cherishes confidence that the efforts
of Paris and Rome, though Intellectual
to date, may eventually lead to their
joining Japan, Great Britain and the
United States in putting a definite
worldwide end to competitive construc-
ton at sea.
It Is well for the American people to
be reminded on Navy day that an un-
Outstanding among all the naval powers
remains yet to be accomplished. The
signatories to the London treaty have
set q notable example. Among the
three Of them, they represent the vast
bulk of the worlds sea power. But
with the French and Italian navies out
side a limitation agreement, it cannot
be said that the ideal Of total abolition
of international rivalry has been
achieved. Indeed. until France and
italy Arrive ct what President Hoover
terms "a complete understanding, -
limitation Is only partially obtained.
The famous "escalator" clause definitely
gives Japan, Great Britain and the
United States the right to build beyond
the treaty provisions If other powers
lie. France and Italy-do not come to
terms. Mr.. Hoover asserts that never
again must race In naval ornaments
be allowed to develop" Pending the
readiness of the two great Latin coun-
tries Of Europe to support the Japanese,
British and American peoples in making
naval limitation an enduring, and not
an ephemeral, situation, the American
Presidents noble aspiration Is doomed
to remain pious hope.
With Europe filed with more unrest
than Immediately preceded the World
War in 1914, with four-fifths of South
America In revolution, and with China
and India in varions stages of civil war,
Mother Earth can hardly be said to be
enjoying a placid existence or one de-
signed to strengthen the worlds craving
for peace. Happily, no omen darkens
the horizon which is designed to dis
turb our own fair land. But no man
lives who can predict what may por-
tend. That common sense" which
President Hoover today glorified should
persuade the Congress Of the United
States to enact with q minimum of
delay the legislation necessary to build
''the treaty navy" Our statesmen
fought for such feet at London. 1t
Is the plain duty of Congress to con-
struct It..