The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-25
EUROPE IS FL0UNDERING
DESPITE AMERICAN
NAVAL EQUALITY TREATY
Japan and Italy Invited to
Join Treaty Aiding
World Peace.
NORMAN DAVIS HOPEFUL
Points to Difficulty OF
Reaching Accord Under
Present Conditions.
BY FREDERICK KUN
United Press STAFF Correspondent


LONDON, March 25.-The
United States and Great
Britain set an example to the
world today by agreeing to
maintain naval equality.
The agreement vas disclosed
while delegates of the United
States, the British Empire and
France signed in the Queen Anne
drawing room of st. James's Palace
a Six-year naval treaty which linn
its ships sby sizes and gun calibres
but makes no restrictions on. the
number of ships a signatory may
build. Japan, Germany and Italy
all important naval powers-were
not parties to the treaty
Norman H. Davis, chief American
delegate, and Capt. Anthony Eden,
British foreign secretary, effected
the equality agreement by an ex-
change of letters whose details
were completed only a few hours
before the palace ceremony.
Eden Backs Davis Stand
Mr.. Davis's letter emphasized
that British american naval equal
ity remained the guiding policy of
the United States. Capt. Eden's
acknowledgement said that the
principle of equality was one to
which Britain also adhered.
Mr.. Davis pleaded eloquently for
real naval limitation and expressed
the hope that the present treaty
would lead to more inclusive one.
He made an indirect plea also for
Japan, Italy, Germany and Rus
STA to adhere to the terms of the
treaty signed today.
With good will on the part of all
naval powers, Mr.. Davis said.
naval race could be prevented after
the expiration of the Washington
and London treaties Dec 81.
Davis Is Optimistic
The instrument we are about to
sign" he said, falls short of our
best hopes in that it makes no pro-
vision for cumulative reduction
! and limitation. This the American
government and delegates deeply
regret.
If we bear in mind however, the
world situation when the conference
opened and the critical develop
mentS which have occurred during
the course Of those deliberations it
becomes evident that we have ac-
compliShed far more than most IL
not all of us anticipated.
1t is commonplace that arma-
ments are reflection of interna-
tional stability and diStrust. We are
at present going through days of
profound economic, political and
military disturbance. In the cir
cumStanceS a drastic reduction of
naval ornaments was manifestly
not to be expected There was in
deed some question whether a new
naval treaty could be concluded at
all or whether we might not be
forced to revert to a situation in
which there would be no limit for
the size of ships as well as for the
numbers.
U. S. Attitude Is Unchanged
I'VE have, nevertheless. through
pent effort negotiated a new treaty
which not only perpetuates much
that was Of value in the older
treaties out which contains new or
strengthened provisions of the
greatest Importance"
He pointed out that at the OPEN
ing of the conference last Deem
Der he said that the United States
favored substantial measure of re-
duction in existing naval arma-
mentS.
Our attitude in this respect has
not changed" he continued.
we still believe that only by some
method of limiting and reducing
both numbers and types will it be
possible to stabilize fleet relations
sufficiently to exclude all competi-
tive building.
therefore, while we recognize
that qualitative limitation is of
value, we have not abandoned the
hope of achieving in the future a
quantitative limitation in navies and
IN addition to the treaty we are TO-
day signing supplementary proto-
col IN which we register our desire
TO achieve further measures of re-
duction in any substantial treaty.s
Japan is Asked to Join
Lord Monsell directed a strong
appeal to Japan to join the treaty.
The japanese government. he
said, will see that in the treaty
there is not even the slightest trace
OF the ratio system, to which we
understand their country takes such
strong exception.
we all noted with satisfaction
the assurances given by the Japa-
nese statesmen that japan has no
intention OF doing anything likely
to promote naval race in the flu
ture, and since a race in types is
even more dangerous and expensive
than race in numbers, we have
every hope that this draft treaty will
commend itself TO the Japanese gov
eminent. when they will have had
time and opportunity TO consider its
provisions"
Lord Monsell expressed belief that
if all the principal naval powers ac-
cede to the treaty. naval race win
a