Evening star., 1937-12-24
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

If current details of a vast new naval
expansion program are verified by events,
as they are expected to be, Japan Is
headed for the kind of hint she most
understands. 1t will indicate that the
United States means business in the far
East. Such an increase OF our meet
would serve notice that there's lllnlC
to American patience with japanese pro-
tensions to boss the Pacific and that we
are both able and ready to stand up 1or
our rights there. The Navy Department
is credited with plans for a rearma-
ment project eventually approximatlng
the $500 100000 scheme upon which
Great Britain has embarked, to ward
off perils to empire security. AS the hrst
step. a S2,O0OOO00 900 authorization may
be asked of Congress early in the regu-
lar session, with emphasis on additional
aircraft carriers. The proposal also calls
for several replacement battleshlpS big
ger than the present 35 ,000-ton limit, as
we'll as more 10,000-ton cruisers. All OF
this construction would be outside the
budgetary provisions for fiscal 1889,
which include two battleships, two crulS-
ers, eight destroyers and six submarines
already authorized and partially appro-
priated for Cost of the new building
would not have to be met at once, as
1t would be spread over several years.
II the President and Congress approve,
the additional ships will give the United
States a Navy considerably stronger than
the treaty fleet contemplated by the
existing Vinson-T -Trammell act.
X *
These tentative arrangements to aug
ment American sea power at psycilo-
logical moment were decided upon long
before the Panay affair: Their MAIN
spring is this Governments estabhsneo
policy of parity with Great Britain. But
recent events in China undoubtedly
whetted and accelerated the desire OF the
responsible naval authorities to convince
Emperor Hirohito's war lords that they
henceforth will monkey with the BRASS
works at their peril. Every japanese
schoolboy knows that in q naval bullo-
ing race with either the British or our
selves, Nippon is hopelessly outclaSseo.
1t has strained her slender resources TO
the breaking point to maintain even the
existing 3-5-5 ratio with the "EngllSn-
shooting" fleets. The bare prospect OF
having to match immensely bigger Brit
ish and American navies than are ALREADY
af1oat would bring home viv1dly ana
painfully to Japanese taxpayers and pusl-
ness men the burdens of war and I'M
perial glory.
u S. S. Panay-pronounced Pa-neye-
is named after one of the 7083 1sianos
which comprise the Philippine Common
wealth. Third largest of the group, with
an area of 4448 square miles, Panay Is
about the size of Connecticut. 1t ranks
behind Luzon, with 40,814 square miles,
and Mindanao, with 36,906 square miles.
President Roosevelt reveals lively graf
iflcation over evidence reaching MN
hourly that the country, irrespective OF
politics, approves the course he ana
Secretary Hull are pursuing In the crisis
with Japan. F. D. r. Is thoroughly de-
termined to look before he leaps, and
to start nothing he isn't prepared to
finish. When he's ready to act, and that
may be sooner than anybody, including
Toxic, thinks, the Nation may be sure
he will proceed with 'decisiveness. Fleet
movements, trade embargoeS, rupture OF
diplomatic RELATIONSHIP these are posi-
bilitles as to which, one guess Is about
as good as another But as Uncle Sans
children sing their Christmas carols to-
night, they can be certain that, as far
as the President Of the United States
is concerned, the time for taking things
lying Gown is past. Only prompt and
complete amends for the Panay busi-
ness will dissuade Washington from its
purposes, and perhaps not even that
X X
Timeliest holiday greetings to reach
Washington come from that elder states
man, DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler, presi-
dent Of Columbia University. They're
entitled. The World Needs Another