The Hawera Star. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1924. JAPAN AND ARMAMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 December 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1924. JAPAN AND ARMAMENTS.

Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock m Hawera Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser Road, and Ararata. • /

A cable message published :'.n yesterday’s Star setting out Japan’s attitude towards naval affairs in the Pacific did not make welcome reading, and being of an official • nature the statements are the more arresting. The Pacific has come prominently before 1 the world in the last year or two, and students of- .international politics think that the storm centre of the next war will be in the great ocean, in which wc are all interested. That being so, the attitude of the peoples of Asia towards the white races merits greater consideration,, especially the attitude of Japan, the most advanced of the coloured nations. Japan rendered splendid service to the Allied cause during the war with Germany, and she did not display any aggressive ambitions towards her Pacific neighbours. She was proud of the progress she' had made and of the Alliance with Britain, but she was somewhat uneasy over the growing feeling in the United States against Japanese immigrants. Nevertheless, she willingly associated herself with the Powers which met at Washington to discuss the armaments problem, and she was ready to subscribe to the Agreement ultimately arrived at by the Powers, though she was allotted the lowest place in the 5-5-3 ratio. At the time of the Washington Conference the popular movement in Japan against the military and naval influences which had been so- strong had reached a position encouraging the belief that the peace party was to be in control of the nation for a number of years. Every prospect appeared to be pleasing until the United States Exclusion Act was passed, but since then Japan’s attitude has changed, judging by various reports on matters concerning the Pacific. At the Assembly of the League of Nations a few weeks ago, Japan opposed the draft Protocol because her representatives were- not satisfied with the proposals governing questions of immigration and the definition of aggressor. By her opposition she was able to have the offending clauses altered to her liking and accepted by the Assembly as a whole. But these alterations are such that the British Empire is not- likely to ratify the Protocol, whim France and Italy are reported to be by no means enthusiastic towards it. Japan has also indicated that she does not view the Singapore base proposal favourably, though we cannot recall any opposition from her when Singapore was first mentioned in Lord Jelheee’s report. The announcement of the cruise of the United States in the Pacific next year has produced statements from Japanese sources,' indicating that she does not regard it without some anxiety, though it is difficult to see what grounds Japan has for feeing evil results from a practice which naval Powers have for years past regarded as a- perfectly legitimate custom. America has not shown any opposition in the past to Japanese naval and cruises in the Pacific, and British Dominions have extended to Japanese visitors a. welcome as hearty and spontaneous as that occorded to other naval representatives. And

now we have the statements made in yesterday’s cable message, in which Japan indicates that she is not inclined to support further disarmament, proposals, and is, it appears, regretting her decisions at Washington. It seems reasonable to think that the attitude of the Japanese towards the West is changing, and the references to AngloSaxon imperialism and that a further disarmament conference would be a move for strengthening Britain and the United States at Japan’s expense are not encouraging. If, as the apparentlj do, these statements represent official opinion in Japan, the outlook has become considerably darker, and show that the process of disarmament is most difficult. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald speaking at Forres (Morayshire), just before going to Geneva, referred to the difficulties thus: “I go to Geneva; in a day or two. What is to happen I do not know. But this can he said : Whatever does happen, if we are to go oil with this process of disarmament, we cannot do it alone. It must be mutual; it must be with common consent. Tlie other nations must stand' alongside us.” The change of attitude in japan will he regretted throughout the British Empire, and we can only hope that it is not her fixed intention to avoid taking part in further disarmament conferences and agreements, for as far as the Pacific is concerned 110 weakening of either American or British naval power can be contemplated if Japan refuses to fall into line.