Milford chronicle., 1935-02-08
ROTARY CLUB HOLDS
INTERESTING MEETING

The regular meeting of the Mil
ford Rotary CLUB on Monday was
! one of the most interesting of the
year, with all members present and
several visitors, including DR., Brown,
Mr.. Wakefield and DR.. Clyde Nelson
of the L. d. Caulk Co.
The speaker of the day was Mr..
William v. GIfer who spoke on the
Japanese situation, his paper, Japan
Turns Her Back on the Washington
Treaty" was much appreciated,
bringing to the members this i'm
4 portant question in a concise and
interesting manner.
Mr.. Grier's speech follows:
Japan Turns Her Back On The
| Washington Treaty
December 29th, 1884 may prove an
! important date, to be learned by fu-
ture generations of school boys as
marking the end Of Naval Limitation.
On that day, photographers and
newspaper men grouped themselves
outside of the War and Navy Build
ings in Washington, when at five
minutes before noon black Lincoln
sedan pulled up before the diplo-
matte entrance. Out of the car step
ped two slender gentlemen, name,y
the japanese Ambassador to the
United States and the Councillor to |
the Japanese Embassy, to pay a |
visit to the American Secretary of /
State. Cordell Hull. An official doc
ument was presented. to Secretary |
Hull by the japanese. Ambassador,
which announced Japan's withdraw |
from the most important interna-
tiOnal Arms-limiting -argeement in
recorded history.
Looking out of the window and 1
across the Presidents Park could be
seen the Continental Memorial Hall,
where representatives OF the Worlds
Five Greatest Naval Powers gather
ed and signed the treaty. twelve years
ago. ...
The three fundamental issues with
reference to the Treaty were:
Firs.-The Naval question it.
self involving the japanese de-
mand for parity.
Second-The political question
involving the expansion of Japan
in Eastern Asia.
Third-The Commercial ques-
tiOn involving the expansion of
Japanese Foreign Trace at the S
expense of British and American a
rivals. +
Now. with reference to the Naval a
question, following the period Of a O
Naval building race in the Pacific,
he leading powers met in Washing
on in 1921 and 1929 and concluded 5
number of agreements. One of II
hesc limited the capital ships OF n
be great powers at fixed ratio a
t 5-5-% for the United States, the g
british Empire. and Japan; and pro- a
ided tha: no new fOrtificatiOm should Il
e erected. in the greater part OF the O
'acifc. In these agreements, tlIe Oi
'nitcd States and Great Britain viz n
lally promised not to use their SUI 4
eriOr naval power to threaten the NJ
ecurity of Japan in eastern waters;1 G
lille Japan agreed to respect the N
Ivereignty ana independence aud
10 territorial and administrative in te
gritty Of China. ci
In 1880, a second Naval Conference OF
as held in London to apply the tr
rinciple Of limitation to the types or
vessels not restricted at Wash Fl
gton. The London Naval Treaty ell
Ied the number of cruisers. de- to
rogers, and submarines which the tn
rec powers might maintain. At wi
e insisteuce of Japan, the London
'eaty ratios were somewhat differ LIE
Il from those adopted at the Wash ev
gtOn Conference. In the case of de-
strOyers. Japan obtained a ratio an
1O-l0-7; while in the case of sub pr
lrines she received parity. The
ashingtOn Treaty, therefore, will an
me to an end on December 81, F3
36. in view of the fact that prior Of
December LIST. 1884, Japan served I'm
Lice to denOumce the treaty. COT
Japan has now proposed a new
val Treaty. to be based on the IL
inciple of tonnage. II is her view SIS
1t instead Of definitely fixing the pre-
mber of each type Of ships. the par
" naval agreement should merely haN
the total tonnage. within which the
III nation would be free TO build be
atever kind of vessels is desired. feri
jiect to limitations on the size of [
.tleship, aircraft carriers, and mil
er vessels. attC
iow that the Washington and Lon tar.
I agreements will be terminated Sta
the end of 1886. as a result of aut
pans withdrawal, the question is: Lor
i'll a naval race take place in the adv
'ific. among the United States, tiOT
eat Britain. and Japan?" The
The second issue is: Whether or autl
the United States and the British the
lpire should approve Of the ter Nav
Irial and political expensiOn Of Of
IAN. The issue was raised three con-
RS ago. when the japanese Army will
lated an intervention in Man DlaI
lria. which led to the creation of the
Independent State Of ManchukuO. 1000,
question resolves itself into tiOn
ether the United States and Great 90Od
tain intended to cooperate in 1892
lg force to check the political In
ansiOn of Japan, or are these exp
'ers to acquiesce to such expan- to