AMERICA AND JAPAN

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21334, 29 November 1934, Page 9

AMERICA AND JAPAN

_* Comparative Naval Strength FIVE TO THREE RATIO MR VINSON INSISTS ON MAINTENANCE (T7KITED PEESS ASSOCIATION—BT ELECTSIO TELEGRAPH— COPYRIGHT.) (Received November 28, 7.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 27. Mr Carl Vinson, chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, who sponsored a bill last session to bring the navy to treaty strength, declared that America would never countenance the narrowing of the 5-3 ratio with Japan. He said: "If the Tokyo Government does insist upon wrecking the treaty, I will insist that the committee and Congress make enough money available to build five ships for each three laid down by Japan. This country cannot grant naval parity to Japan, even at the price of weakening the treaties."

Commenting on London reports that Mr Ramsay Mac Donald told the House of Commons Great Britain had no intention of offering America a Pacific security pact in the event of the collapse of the naval and correlated treaties, the Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, said that such a proposal was never considered by his department. Never before had he heard the matter discussed.

A PACIFIC PACT SUGGESTED QUESTION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS (British orriu.u, wibei.bss.) RUGBY, November 27. Asked if he would consider the advisability of proposing to the United States Government negotiations for a Pacific mutual assistance pact, on the lines of the Locarno Treaty, the Prime Minister (Mr Ramsay Mac Donald) said that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir John Simon) had stated last week the position of the naval discussions and the desire of Great Britain to obtain friendly co-opera-tion with the United States and Japan. In these circumstances he did not consider it useful to raise such matters by question and answer, as members could assume the Government had in mind every aspect of the situation. JAPAN AND WASHINGTON TREATY

ITALY AND FRANCE ARE APPROACHED ROME, November 27. Though the Government has received a note from Japan suggesting the abrogation of the Washington Naval Treaty, it is unlikely that Italy will agree to such a course, because she has much to lose and nothing to gain. Abrogation would obliterate the Italian right of parity with France, whereby Italy would lose a previous international bargaining point at Paris. France has also receivd a note, regarding the proportions of the French and Italian navies.