Evening star., 1934-12-24

Optimism being one Of the hallmarks
Of the New Deal, washington refuses
to abandon hope that Japan will yet
come around to realizing the desira-
bility of Q 5-5-3 naval limitation
agreement. As things stand, such a
prospect seems gloomy in the extreme,
but faith persists that before the ex-
isting treaty actually expires on De-
cember 81, 1896, Toxic will see the
light and shrink from embarking
upon q costly competition that would
sorely strain the Japanese financial
structure. Meantime, the United
States proposes quietly and sys-
tematically to proceed with its build
ing program until the feet reaches
treaty limits. Should the Japanese
expand their navy to point that
ever threatened our interests In the
Pacific, there's little reason to doubt
that Washington would be inclined
to consider such additional naval
legislation as would safeguard what
our sea authorities look upon as an
irreducible safety minimum. OF ut
most importance for the time being
Is that public utterance in this coun-
try avoid excesses capable OF supply
ing Japan's anti-American jingoes
with inf1ammatory material.
+ 4
Although the London naval CONVEX
sations failed to accomplish their pur-
pose-to lay the foundations for re-
newal Of the Washington treaty
they were, from Uncle Sans stand
point, by no means barren of fruit.
As a matter of fact, Yankee diplo-
macy achieved q notable success. 1t
consists Of the Anglo american SOL
idarity which emerged from the
otherwise abortive discussions. There
was time, early in the conversations,
when an Anglo-Japanese front against
the United States loomed as some
thing more than q possibility. British
political and commercial interests in
the Far East require q friendly Japan.
Plenty of reason existed for inclining
John Bull to yield to Nippon's pres
sure for an equality navy. The sole
japanese hope Of accomplishing that
purpose lay in driving q wedge be-
tween the English-speaking powers.
That Ambassador Matsudaira and
Admiral Yamamoto were thwarted in
this ambition constituted first-class
victory for the American delegates,
Ambassador Davis and Admiral Stand
ley. Sooner or later, if Japan in
sists upon playing q lone hand in
the naval game, it's logical to expect
some kind of bilateral Anglo-Amer-
ican naval agreement to take the place
Of the three-power pact the Japanese
are about to destroy.
President Roosevelt's holiday greet
ing to overtaxed Washington news
writers was an informal understand
ing that the lid would be clamped
down on White House news until after
Christmas. Repeatedly, lately, F. D.
H. has intimated that there would be
mo news" until January 3, the date
on which his message to Congress will
be submitted. Then, he has limited,
the scribes will have more than a
plenty to write about. The President
admits that, because Of the stagger-
ing mass Of material he has to deal
with this time, the problem of pre-
pairing the message was about the
toughest he's ever had to tackle, espe-
cially as he is bent upon cramming
q maximum of matter into minimum
Of words. He will conflne himself to
policies and objectives. Details Of
various issues are to be left for special
messages to be sent 20 the Capitol on
successive occasions later on. Mr..
Roosevelt has found this system highly
effectiVe for New Deal pllrDoSes It
rivets public attention on given topics
and makes for prompt action by Con-
gress.
Representative Everett M. Dirksen,
Republican, Of Ilnonis, has sent out
novel holiday greetings. They are q
facsimile of congressional resolution
] and set forth that "Mr. Dirksen, Mrs.
Dirksen and Miss Dirksen introduced
- . u,htHh mas Peferp0d Ia the