Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-19
JOHNSON ATTACKS
PACT AS UNFAIR"
London Treaty Endangers
U. S. Defense and Imper-
lis Commerce, He Says.

Branding the London naval treaty
as "un-American, unjust and unfair"
Senator johnson, Republican, of Cali
fornia, last night told the American
people in language bristling with de-
fiance of the administration that the
pact should be fatty rejected.
The leader of the opposition against
the treaty, in speaking over the Ma
tional Radio Forum, arranged by The
Washington Star and sponsored by the
Columbia Broadcasting System, in a
Nationwide hook-up, delivered vigor-
Gus reply to Secretary of State Stimson,
who last week over the forum presented
the case for the proponents.
Senator Johnson resorted to his ira
ditional powers Of eloquence in de-
tailed attack on the treaty and sent his
voice through the microphone in ringing
tones. He criticized Secretary of State
Stimson for asking immediate ratifica-
ton Of the instrument to keep discus
sion out of the political campaigns and
declared this StimSon argument was
made by every foe of democracy" The
Senator proposed taking it "out of
politics" by postponing its consideration
until after the election next November.
He replied with spirit to the Secretary's
criticism of naval officers who have at
tackled the pact"
unjust Above ALL"
The treaty, Senator johnson declared,
"haS within it not only the germs of
future misunderstanding and i'll will,
but above and beyond all this, it is I'M
just and unfair to our country.
1T robs us of that which we thought
by sacrifice we had obtained in 1922"
he charged, referring 10 the Washington
naval limitation conference. 1T may
imperil our marvelously growing COM
merce, now equaling that of any nation
on earth, and endaneer even our ma
tional defense, and after all the boastful
utterances concerning parity, 1t yields us
only interiority.
1T does not measure up to our ma
terial necessities and it falls far short
Of our ideals. 1t is treaty that is I'M
American and Americans should re-
ject it."
Charging that the Washington Naval
Conference neither lifted any burden
Of taxation, nor did it leave the relative
security of the great naval powers I'M
impaired, and worse still, instead of
stopping, 1t actually started race in
competition in naval armament" the
Senator predicted that exactly the
same unfortunate results" would follow
"in intensified degree the ratification
of the London treaty"
BE Worse at End Of Treaty"
"And at the end Of the life of the
London treaty" he declared, 1--WE will
find our country in still worse position"
For in 1886, he explained, 'the surplus
of British and Japanese cruiser strength
counting built and building tonnage
over and above the 5-5-3 ratio will
be for Great Britain $1,000 and Japan
$4,000" The speaker went into detail
on the negotiations, claiming that the
United States signatories at London
had abandoned the ratio fixed by the
Washington Conference.-The ratio by
which we destroyed the worlds greatest
battleships, sunk hundreds of millions
of the taxpayers money and stopped
fortifying our own possessions in the
Pacific"
The escalator clause Senator johnson
eXcoriated as making a mockery of
naval limitation"
The administration was criticized for
refusal to submit further documents to
the Senate in its investigation. into the
treaty. Proponents claims OF savings
to the people we're replied to by the
Californian with the charge that there
would be mo saving to the taxpayers"
but building program to cost more
than a billion dollars for ships that
are of little benefit to us and which
cannot adequately perform the proper
function of our Navy"
Text Of Address.
Senator johnson objected strenuously
to what he charged was principle in
the treaty which in the future would
cause American cruisers ito be cut to
foreign pattern"
His address follows:
When the London treaty, singularly
enough, without comment or report,
was first presented, and the demand
was made for immediate ratification,
Continued on Page B-12.)