5-5-3 NAVAL RATIO

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 80, 5 April 1938, Page 11

5-5-3 NAVAL RATIO

AMERICAN ADHERENCE

SUPERIORITY OVER JAPAN

ENSURING SECURITY

(United Press Association—By Electrio 'Telegraph—Copyright.)

WASHINGTON, April 3. In a statement to the Senate Naval Committee the State Department declared that the United States must maintain a fleet at least 60 per cent, more powerful than Japan's so long as fhe tense political situation in the Pacific and the Far East continues.

"Irrespective of what may be the future disposition of the Philippines, it is believed to be in the interest of security for the United States to adhere to'the principle 6i the 5-5-3 ratio unless the "political situation in the Pacific is so, altered as to permit agreement on another basis," the statement says."The Government will welcome ah agreement to reduce naval arms, but does not consider a world disarmament conference at present would be timely. Arms limitation must be relative by joint action of the principal' naval Powers. / • "America ' must be sufficiently realistic in appreciation of the inter J national situation to wish to bolster her own security pending a reversal of policy by the principal armed Powers offering some hope that a further general effort at, disarmament would not be illusory." The statement attacked attempts by a bloc in the House of Representatives to establish a naval frontier beyond which the fleet-would hot operate except in the event'of war. >

"The practical application of this principle to circumscribe the activity of the American navy behind an imaginary Chinese wall would expose American citizens ■to attack everywhere in the world outside the wall," adds the statement.