ENEMY OF THE WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 72, 26 March 1921, Page 7

ENEMY OF THE WORLD.

A WARNING TO JAPAN. EFFEC OF NAVAL PROGRAMME. NOT COMPETING WITH U.S. (T'.v Cable_p ress Association. — Copj-ripbU , iRe-eivod 11.."in n m.i ! TOKYO. March 2.".. ' J President Muto. nf the .(apanes,. As-n- i .elation of Trad.-, interviewed, said that; [Japan would find herself the enemy of, nil the world if -h» persisted in' her naval expansion prop-amine, which was leadin,.- her aim,., the path which U-r-' many and every other militaristic nali..i. ha.! in..!. Tin- I'lnted State in l'.'-Jl .was tpnuliny: a ti-niii nf ii.-r r.aiional spend,nj half. He was convinced, n- lie j read American history, that Ani.-ri-.-u ; i would m\.-r light an npfrressive '.>.ir. : hellCi' nil Americ:m-.Ja|innc.-p war wae ' ' impo*«ihl.. while .T,ipm! abided l.y the j principle of ri<r!i; and jn-ti-.-. The J>i.-t adopted thp liudget. v. which i attached a resolution warning the nation that puljic di.liplir.c va- per.- j i raly deicviorat imz tlirotisrh the irr..win K 1 'dim'culty of makinjr a livinjr. Tl.o Hudj;ct Committee nf the Mmi — nf |{.n:.•-.■>!-.-tatives hrm:«rht up the report* tti.it thf I'iiitod Stale* intended t-' e..n eiitrule p.nval power ir. tli~ PayiH". An indrpellator evpie-sed thf opinion that it the r.-|>..rt were true it wn« ti.p duty ..! tfi" ! naval autlioritic- to study a ..>iiiit.ipoliey. liar..n Kato. Minister of Marine, re- ' pli.-tl that tin- rumour "a~ Tiot verillpd. and tli.-n- was even n-a-.n to b-lieve, it friimull.sf. hut cvrii if true tin- .|U.~-. tioii «a.- of such jiraw diplomatic import .that discussion upon it would Ik- wry undeniable. H.iron Kato, interviewed. *nid that lie ■ r.-rrrwted to see sinister propagandists and mi.-chief makrr» try.up t.> attribute •lapan'> naval proprarnme t" a de-ire to compete villi the Cm ted Stat.'-. Notliinp i could lie m.ire preposterous or absurd. The programme was formulated so tha* .Japan could l>e defended against any , emergencies arisiiis in the Kar Kast alone. Tlie projected fleet ol battle- . ships and fight battle t-ruiserß not over 'eight years ol,i was not w s«arily reiducible. Japan had joined the Leajnie ' of Nations, ami hy s> doing i-upported ; the principle of the reduction of arms j ments. Whenever th.-re was an Inter j 'national Conference he wouid tv> only to" ! J glad to co-operato h> .iu-stly with other I Governments to effect principle.— j I A. and N.Z. Cable.) CULTIVATING FRIENDSHIP. TO CHECK MISUNDERSTANDING j NEW YORK, March 2.". • Huron Meirata. who was Japan - * dele,'pate, to the Assembly ot the League of J Nations at Geneva, in a speech delivered '[here, said that, he believed tha.t every- ■ body left (ieneva with the feeling that I (appreciable progress had been made i towards the establishment of an interInational association whoso principal aim ; was t.> prevent or to lessen the chances lof war. Nolxidy felt the absence ot the I United Mates more keenly than t lit I Japanese delegates. .lapan felt herself! jdr.iwn closely Mward unity v.ith the j Enelish-speakine; in Kastern affairs. Mr. W. 11. Tafi pointed >uit that if I Ameri ans knew more conc-rninjr -lapanese affairs an d Japapese more concerning tiie Californian situation th<-re would !>.• less friction. He added: "if we look liar into the future it is n> .re likely that |th<> institutions nf Western civilisation will extend to Asia than that, thp star of empire should take the reverse courr.-. j and if we wish t.. be a real friend to i China we should cultivate Japanese friendship, and through h.- r and by her I co-operation and. if necessary, friendly \ restraint, accomplish tiie benign pur- ' poses nf the Vnited States in the Far I KaSt."— lA. and N.Z. Table.) ! . !