Evening star., 1935-01-01
Abrogation of Navy Pact
Called Lesson to Americans

Reviewing armament history since
the World War. some American news
papers find that abrogation of the
Washington naval limitations treaty
by Japan is the elimination If series
of failures in the direction of dis
armament, and contend that this
country has been taught that it must
rely upon its own strength rather than
upon international agreements.
Hereafter We must avoid giving
needless offense." says the Youngs-
town Vindicator, but we shall have
to have the kind of air and naval
forces that will make the world re-
spect U.S." The Vindicator feels that
by now it must be clear to all that
civilization has advanced no further
than this"
This abrogation." in the judgment
of the Philadelphia Evening Public
Ledger, carries a challenge to all
western nations-in a sense. a chal-
lenge to destiny. How it will be met"
continues that paper. sis likely to be
standing question for many years to
come" The Evening Ledger holds
that IF nothing occurs in the mean
time to prevent it, naval race of
dangerous proportions will be begun"
The American Government and its
people" according to the Boston
Transcript, have not yet been lulled
into a false sense of security. They
still want a Navy adequate to what
they hold to be the needs of the coun-
try and so safeguard Of peace. And,
to put it bluntly, that means a Navy
larger than the Japanese Navy, not
because of fear of Japan, but because
We are convinced that to meet our
needs calls for greater naval strength
than hers"
Some day, in S or 10 years. or in
So" observes the Boise Idaho States
man, this policy now required is 60
ing to start a war which will shake
the foundations of our civilization"
The Pasadena (Calif) Star-News ad-
viSeS: "Of course, Japan need not
enter into naval pact with Britain
and the United States. but if it does
not, these two countries are not re-
framing from announcing to the world
their plans for the future. Canada
already is calling upon the British
government to completely overhaul the
empires Pacific defenses and to issue
renewal of the pledges that the
British and American Pacific policies
are identical"
Frances stand on the Washington
naval pact is somewhat baftiing," to
the Cleveland News. Though, for the
sake of appearances, the foreign Of
flee at Paris insists that there will be
no denunciation of the treaty, the
Chamber OF Deputies favorS a moral
denunciation,' which amounts to much
the same thing. Inconsistency is the
least that can be charged nations
which preach peace one moment and
rearmament the next. France and
Japan, tax-ridden and facing increas-
ing protests by their people over the
heavy burden militarism has placed
upon them, are the least fitted of all
nations to seek a naval building race.
Yet that Is what they are bidding for
and that is what they will get, re-
Mctant as are American and Britain,
most able. to enter into any
such competition"
The Kansas City Times advises
waiting for a return of common
sense" while the Worcester Evening
Gazette contends that "the two great
English-speaking nations, if they will,
can preserve the world from naval
war"
Britain faces one important em-
in the opinion OF the