Evening star., 1934-12-21
i. s. NAVAL BASE
PLEA TO COUNTER
PACT ABR0GAT|ON
Move to Increase Defenses
Launched as Toxic Acts
to Scrap Treaty.
JAPANESE PRESS HITS
AMERICAN '0BSTINANCY
France Intends to Denounce 1922
Pact to Make Position on
Parity" Clear.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A congressional movement to in
crease Americas Notifications in the
Pacific was disclosed In Washington
today as Emperor Hirohito in Toxic
signed documents necessary for abro-
cation of the Washington naval
treaty.
Anthony J. Dimond, Alaskan Dele
gate to Congress, said he would press
for establishment Of an inland air
base in Alaska and was confident of
receiving strong support.
Japan probably will notify Wash
ington officially of her abrogation de-
cision December 81.
Newspapers in Toxic charged the
failure Of tri-power conversations in
London to achieve results was a result
Of American "obstinacy'' and they
lauded Britain's attitude.
American naval delegates in Lon
don said they were not surprised by
this view, since they had placed the
responsibility upon Japan because of
her insistence upon tonnage equality.
Frances intention of denouncing
the Washington treaty of 1922 was
reliably reported to be announced
shortly.
Pierre Laval, minister Of foreign
affairs, and M. Pietri called for a
joint meeting Of the Foreign Affairs
and Naval Committees of the Cham
Der today to make the French attitude
clear.
The step was contemplated, an au-
thority said, to place France on record
as opposed to the parity" system set
up by the treaty.
News Is Surprise.
British and American sources in
London heard the news with surprise.
1t was explained that both Great
Britain and the United States had re-
ceived assurances some time ago that
France, whatever its objections 10 the
treaty, would permit Japan to assume
the fun responsibility for its termina-
ton.
A suggested Anglo-American naval
accord received the Endorsement of
Senator Joseph T. Robinson Of Ark
ansas, Senate majority leader. Sena-
tor Robinson said Japan was contem-
plating further aggressive campaigns
In China in her effort to become the
dominating power in the Orient.
Base In Alaska Seen.
The move to increase American for
tifcation in the Pacific was described
today as virtually certain to develop
in Congress after Japan formally
scraps the Washington naval treaty.
Every Senator and Representative
from west of the Rocky Mountains,
with the possible exception of Senator
Borah of Idaho" Delegate Diamond
said, would vote to strengthen Ameri-
can Notifications in the Pacific"
Must Depend on Defenses.
From Representative Lea, Democrat,
Of California, came the comment:
"Japan's prospective action has
made 1t clear that we must depend on
ourselves for defense and not on in
ternational agreements"
Dimond said he believed the Navy
would not hesitate to set up an operat-
ing base in Alaska If it could get the
money. He declared he planned to
discuss an air base for the Territory
with War Department officials. He
has Fairbanks and Anchorage In mind
as likely sites.
Meanwhile, there was no official
comment here on the approaching
notification that Japan is abrogating
the Washington treaty. The Capital
heard with interest that the Japanese
Emperor had affixed the imperial seal
to the documents. It expects Am
bassador Hirosi Saito to deliver the
announcement to the State Depart
ment on or before Saturday.
q. s. Obstinacy Blamed.
TOXIC, December 81 R.-Japan-
ese newspapers charged American "ob-
stinacy" with responsibility today for
the breakdown of tri-power naval
conversations as Emperor Hirohito
signed documents abrogating the
Washington treaty.
For Japan there can be no turning
back on the road leading her outside
the scheme of naval stability estab-
lished in the Washington and Lon
don treaties, as the documents bear