The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-25
WORLD FACES
Renewed navy
BUILDING RACE
Japan'S Treaty Violations
May Force Nations to
Add Sea Power.
WARNED BY STIMSON
Reaction of Britain Awaited
With Great Interest in
washington.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SINTMS
Scripps-HOward Foreign Editor

Sc~rlpps-hOWard Foreign Editor
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.7Japan's
violation of the nine-power treaty
safeguarding China may scrap the
Washington naval limitation agree
ment and start afresh the arma-
ments race which that agreement
forestalled.
This danger is foreshadowed
clearly in Secretary Stimson's open
letter to Senator Borah, which re-
minded the European and Far East
ern powers that all the Washington
pacts were in%ter-related and that
violation Of one threatens all.
Coming just a week ahead of the
extraordinary meeting of the as
Sembly of the League of Nations. at
Geneva, to discuss a wavs and
means to check Japan's invasion
Of China, the communication. il is
felt here, is of historic Importance.
Await European Reaction
Europe's reactions are awaited in
ofhclal circles with every bit as
much interest as Japan's. It's eff
1ect at London, particularly, will be
watched. Great Britain, perhaps
more than any other power, has
oeen blocking the leagues efforts
to stop the war.
Great Britain, as much as anv
other country, prof1ted by naval
limitation and the other treaties of
washington. Financially unable to
compete with the United States in
a naval race, it gave her uncon-
tested f1eet-equality with this coun-
try and world superiority in sea
power as a whole.
unless Britain and the rest of
Europe now unite with the United
States, therefore, and bring to bear
upon Japan their combined moral
force, the StimSon letter indicated.
the situation will revert to the sta
tus quo 1920-that is to say. prior
to the vital Washington commit
mentS.
Endorsed for Both Parties
On Capital Hill the statement Of
Americas position received sig
nificant Endorsement from Demo-
Gratis and Republicans alike. It was
pointed out that but for the fact
that Japan and the other powers
solemnly pledged themselves to
keep peace in the Orient, the Wash
ington conference would have failed
completely.
Prior to the Washington confer
ence, the national defense was
based upon the dictum of President
wilson that either the world would
nave to organize itself against war.
or the individual nations thereof
would act to protect themselves.
Accordingly, pending some such
peace agreements, congress author
lied the building of the biggest
navy extant and fertilization of the
philippines, Hawaii, Guam and
Panama.
such was the situation in 1921
When the Washington arms confer
ence was called. Originally the plan
was simply to discuss naval limita-
ton. But it soon was seen that
there were SO many problems
threatening the peace of the Far
East that unless these could be set
tied, arms limitation would be ont
OF the question.
Two ParIeys in One
The Washington conference.
therefore, became two-in-one. There
was a Pacific and far eastern on
ference, and there was a naval linn
!tatlon conference, the one depend
ing entirely upon the other. IF
the Pacific and far eastern confer
ence failed, it was admitted. there
would be no agreement to limit sea
power.
Fate of the conference hinged
upon two treaties in particular
the nine-power treaty and the
four-power treaty.
The nine-power treaty-signed bv
Britain, France, Italy, Belgium.
Holland, Portugal, Japan, China and
the United States-was to preserve
the political and territorial indie
pendence of China.
The four-power pact-signed bv
Britain, France, Japan and the
United States-pledged the signato-
r1es to respect each others Pacific
island possessions.
Peace Is Threatened
Distinctly as a result of these Far
Eastern pacts of non-aggression the
United States agreed not to further
tortify the Philippines, Gaum. or
other possessions west of Hawaii
and to sink hundreds of thousands
OF tons Of the mightiest super
oattleships the world ever had seen
Washington therefore now views
Japan as in process Of smashing the
very foundations upon which peace
and disarmament repose, thereby
threatening the world with a new
era of force.