The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-07-24
Japan Must Decide
New York Herald-Tribune)

It Is authoritatively announced from
Toxic that Japan Is unprepared as
yet to enter the preliminary discus
sions of naval questions now going
forward In London. and will ask that
they be deferred at least until Octo-
Der. Obviously, Japan cannot be
required to take part In these discus
sions II she does not wish to; 1t Is q
little difficult to see, however, what
she can hope to gain by delay. De-
lay will certainly relieve the Japanese
government from the necessity Of
making up its mind. It must decide
whether 1t wishes to retain the ad-
vantages Of the treaty structure at
some sacrifice Of its more recent as
pirations. or whether these latter are
50 important to 1t as to warrant
throwing the treaty system into the
So far. japanese policy has
apparently been based upon the idea
that oil the advantages Of the treaty
structure can be retained, while all
the new desires which conflict with 1t
can be satisfied. This Is not realism.
The choice must be made; and
merely waiting hopefully for some
thing to turn up will not postpone the
necessity. Nothing will turn up to al
ter this situation: indeed, the very
delay merely tends to force the situa-
ton. The japanese inability even to
enter preliminary discussions becomes
itself new factor In the problem. It
presents . situation to which Ameri-
can and British policy must be ad-
justed. Il the japanese cannot ne
gotiate. continuation Of the treaty
system becomes more difficult by that
much, and the two other partners in
the treaty system are unavoidably
driven step farther toward Joint
consideration Of their position in case
the treaties fall.
A further question, moreover, Is
bound to arise. It Is the London nav
al treaty Of 1880 which imposes those
restrictions ON auxiliary tonnage
which Japan Is now most anxious to
escape. Unless 1t Is renewed, this
treaty lapses automatically In 1885.
The Washington treaty Of 1912, on the
other hand, contains the restrictions
upon Pacific fertilization and upon
battleship and aircraft carrier ton
mage which afford Japan her prtnci-
pal safeguards, and this treaty will
continue In force after 1896 unless
notice Of IN intention to bring it to
IN end y given by one Of the sigma
tories before the beginning Of next
year. It was reported some time ago
that Japan intended to give such
notice, but this has not been done.
The japanese may suppose that it will
be possible for them to allow the Lon
don treaty with its restrictions to
lapse, while the Warrington treaty
With its safeguards Is continued. Sure
", however, they must realize that
this Is not practical politics. II they
cannot bring themselves to the pre-
liminary discussions essential for q
renewal Of the London treaty, the
United States and Great Britain will
b forced seriously to consider the
question q themselves giving notice
to terminate the Warrington treaty
No amount Of delay can alter the
fact that not only the two naval trea-
ties but the political settlements which
accompanied the first one are integral
parts Of one treaty structure. Modi-
fications here and there should be
possible, but the structure itself mus.
stand or fall : = whole.