Evening star., 1932-07-04
PLAN TO BLAME j. s.
FOR ARMS PARLEY
FAILURE IS FEARED
Counter Proposals of Other
Nations May Be Rejected
by Washington.
JAPAN'S STAND CALLED
KEY TO GENEVA PUZZLE
Britain Leads Move to Demand
Separate Discussion of
Categories.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
While most Of the foreign countries,
with the exception of Japan, are re-
ported to consider favorably the Hoover
arms reduction proposal, certain official
quarters are worried lest the counter
proposals Of these countries should be
such as to make 1t difficult for the
United States to consider their
acceptance.
President Hoover and the State
Department have indicated the arms
cut proposal must be discussed as
whole and not in parts. That is to
say, that the United States is prepared
to make the necessary reductions OF
its Navy only If land and air dis
armament takes place simultaneously
According to the latest reports from
Europe, it appears some of the coun-
tries, and especially Great Britain, in
tend when offering their counter pro-
poSalS to divide the arms reduction
plan into two categories-the land and
the naval reductions-and are deter
mined to demand a separate discussion
for each of these two classes OF arma-
ments.
The argument brought forward In
favor of such a distinction is that naval
and land armamentS are not inter-
related and consequently should not be
discussed simultaneously. Countries
with large navies, it is said, have en-
tirely different problems from the ma
tions with large armies. Consequently
any eventual reductions must be made
by the two groups of powers in accord
ance with their various problems, and
the naval reductions, for instance, must
not be made dependent of the arms
reductions.
Japanese Stand in Doubt.
This viewpoint is not shared by any
member of the American administra-
tion. The American view is that the
burden of armaments weighs heavily
on all countries and if America is will
ing to make a substantial sacrifice by
reducing the Navy a similar sacrifice
must be made by the other nations
with large armies. But the most deli
cate point is Japan's attitude. The
Japanese government has made it
known officially that 1t does not ap-
prove the Hoover plan. But indirectly
1t is learned that Japan Is willing to
consider participating in a conference
where her naval ratios in regard to the
and 1890, should be changed. That is
to say that Japan desires to attend an
international arms parley on the basis
Of the Hoover plan only If she can reach
a situation where she obtains a "de
facto' naval parity with the United
States.
At the present moment the United
States naval superiority over Japan is
mostly on paper. b. 1886, however, it is
expected that. with new constructions,
superiority of the United States will be
an accomplished fact. Under the Hoo
yer proposal it is clear that the sacri-
fees required from this country will be
the "scrapping of blue prints" These
blue prints, however. represent for the
United States warships. because they
will be translated into actual ships
within the next four years.
Wants to Keep Light Ships.
Japan, it is reported, is willing to
make certain sacrifices in her submarine
and battleship tonnage, which would
please the European naval powers. but
she wants to maintain her cruiser and
destroyer tonnage as it is today. Such
a proposal will be acceptable to the Eu-
ropean nations and consequently it
seems probable that they will find no
parity, especially if Japan is willing to
give up some of her battleships. But
to this country any proposition which
would prevent the United States from
having enough ships to maintain the
naval ratios as established in the previ-
GUS naval conferences, either by the
other nations scrapping some Of their
new ships or by our building in accord
ance with the treaties, cannot be ac-
ceptable.
The situation at present. Is not Alto
gether pleasant. According to news
from Geneva, Paris and London, most
nations are considering favorably the
acceptance of the Hoover plan as basis
for future discussions for general arms
reduction. France which was expected
to be the most recalcitrant country, is
rapidly alligning herself to the general
point of view of Europe-that arms
should be reduced. But should Japan
bring forth her point of view-that she
must maintain a good proportion Of her
cruisers and other lighter ships, while
America must cease to construct the
cruisers and destroyers which Congress
has uthorized-Japan's proposal may
be endorsed by the other nations and
rejected by the United States.
Under these conditions we may have
to face the unpleasant position Of re-
fusing to act on a disarmament pro-
posal which the Government of the
United States has suggested to the
world.
The stand Of the American Govern
ment, of course, will be sound, but there
is the possibility of the European coun-
tries and Japan laying on our door
steps the responsibility of an eventual
failure of a disarmament conference