Evening star., 1934-02-01
No Naval Race.

1t would be a thousand pties, and
worse, if the notion were to take root
in either Japan or the United States
that developments at present simul-
taneouSly under way, by coincidence, in
Parliament at Toxic and in Congress
at Washington, are forerunners of an
inevitable race in naval construction.
Such thought has just found utter
ance in the Japanese House of Peers,
where former Foreign Minister Yoshi-
zaWa suggested rupture" II Japan
and the United States enter the con-
ference scheduled for 1885 with pro
grams dictated by their respective
navies," leading to intensified naval
ompetition-even if war is averted"
Mr.. Yoshizawa argues that "in view of
these dangers. it would perhaps be bet
ter to abandon the conference alto
gether, unless preliminary negotiations
should show the possibilities of agree
ment"
Making full allowance for the fact
that certain japanese elements are
shrinking from no recourse to generate
support for the heaviest military and
naval budget in the empires history,
such language is regrettable in the high
est degree. Had it been made known
here before the House of Representa-
tives on Tuesday without a record vote
authorized over s50O.OO0OOO to build a
full American treaty Navy, it would un-
doubtedly have speeded that project to
passage even more expeditiously and
crushed any semblance of opposition
to it,
While the Toxic House of Peers lis
tened to talk of rupture" and war"
with the United States, the Japanese
Lower House heard some plain speak
ing by Admiral Osumi, head of the
naval ministry. The admiral showed
that at the end of 1886. when the ex-
listing naval treaty expires. Japan S
auxiliary strength-cruisers, destroyers
and submarines-would total 14O vessels,
compared to Americas 100 ships of
$4,000 gross tonnage. These figures as
sumo the completion of the present
japanese program, but do not take into
account the Vinson- -Trammell bill call
ing for American naval requirements
inclusive of cruisers, 65 destroyers, 80
submarines and one aircraft carrier.
How thoroughly justified this pro-
posed American construction is Ad-
miral Osumis statistical candor elo-
quently attests. Except for it, by the
end OF 1886 Japan's ratio as to the
United States would be l56 per cent
in destroyers and 162 per cent in sub
marines. Excluding overage craft. the
Japanese auxiliary total in compari-
son with the United States would be
l03 per cent.
The treaty of London provides-ex-
cept for parity in submarines-that
America and Great Britain shall each
be superior to Japan in auxiliary YES
sels-cruisers and destroyers-in the
ratio roundly of 10 to 7. Admiral
Osumi reveals how far behind treaty
tonnage the United States has Jagged
Instead of maintaining 80 per cent
margin over Japan, as We are per-
mitted to do, We have actually allowed
her substantially to outstrip us.
1t is merely to take up that slack
all too tardily-that Congress is about
to pass the Vinson- -Trammell bill
That legislation represents no desire for
a naval race" with Japan, and GER
tainly no wish to provoke a rupture"
with her. We are but doing belatedly
what Japan old promptly-taking ad-
vantage Of all the privileges which both
the Washington and London treaties
grant. The Government and people of
the United States intend and discern
no provocation to Japan in American
naval building plans, and deplore the
apparent inclination of Japanese states
men to read such an implication into
them.