FULL SECURITY

Northern Advocate, 31 December 1934, Page 5

FULL SECURITY

WORLD-WIDE PLAN

JAPANESE PRINCIPLES

ENTIRELY NEW TREATY,

NO OFFENSIVE ARMAMENT:

[United Press Association — By Electric ' Telegraph.—Copyright.! (Received 9 a.m.) TOKIO, December ,29. t J The Japanese Foreign Office, in a statement published today, refers to Japan’s efforts to gain the co-opera-tion of other Powers in order to secure a naval agreement. The statement says the Japanese Government > is convinced that the cause of . disarmament will be best served, and the security of the Powers permanently assured, by an equitable agreement founded on the following, principles, which have been submitted to the other Powers:— (a) In view of the extraordinary development of warships, aircraft ■ and other war weapons, the existing naval treaties, which recognise equal- ■ ity in armaments among the Powers, no longer afford security*’-for japan’s national defence. Therefore; a- new treaty should not be based on the ratio system, but on an agreed common upper limit. r (2) The disarmament limit should . be the lowest possible, and in order to render it difficult for any Power to attack another, but easy for’, it to . defend itself, offensive arms "should be totally abolished or drastically re-' • duced, while defensive arms should be adequate. ;J Friendly Basis. , r ‘ In view of these basic principles the Japanese Government finds it impossible to acquiesce in the continuation of the Washington Treaty, which permits the retention of" bffen- ; , sive arms and admits of naval dis- A parity through the ratio system. ' . ; “Our inferior ratio, which; is detrimental to our national prestige,”* says the statement, “would be a- source of permanent and profound discontent, among our people. Consequently;-the Government has long felt it ihcumb- =;• ent upon it to notify the termination of the Washington Treaty at the end of 1936, namely, at the expiration, of its stipulated life, of which, the British and American Governments have been early given fairly clear information. , ..... . ' ■

“We are prepared, in’spite of the termination of the treaty, ■ to. pursue with undiminished zeal ; friendly ' I negotiations. We firmly believe-. that ■' when the Powers appreciate- the t essential fairness of our claims .and consent to a sweeping- reduction of armaments, based on the Japanese , proposals, then full security will be -y. afforded! to the Powers by theelimlhation of any possible menace" and enduring peace will be established.” FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT. AMERICA INFORMED. , FLOOD OF REACTION. ,; (Received 9 a.m.) • WASHINGTON, December. 29. Japan today officially informed the , United States Government' 'through her Ambassador,. Mr ’ Hiroshi Saito, , that the Washington Naval , Treaty * will be denounced on December, 31, and expressed the hope that a new treaty will be agreed upon - within the next two years. . l i Japan,” said Mr Saito “is willing to discard half her navy if a common maximum limit for the United States, Britain and the Far'Eastern Empire is established.

“I am not at all anxious about .the possibility of a naval race. ■ The people concerned are all intelligent, and their Governments are rational. None wishes to engage ; in damaging naval competition.” • The notification of the denunciation of the Naval Treaty had been anticipated, and for several- weeks discounted, but the formal action has procured a flood of reaction; from various sources. .

The Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, formally, accepted the note on behalf of the United States-Govern-ment, and announced that he would transmit the decision to the q,ther signatory Powers. , . Mr Hull issued a statement saying he had accepted the, denunciation with genuine regret. America stood for equality in security -rather--than equality in armaments. ■ ■ > On behalf of Japan, Mr Saito said that Japan was constructive, not destructive, in her course. . t .

ATTITUDE OF FRANCE.

“SO MUCH THE BETTER.”'

(Received 12.30 p.rn.)

WASHINGTON, December . 30.

A message from Paris states that the reaction of France to Japan’s denunciation is authoritatively expressed thus; “France was never enthusiastic over the Washington' Naval Treaty, but she would never have denounced it herself. Now that someone else has denounced .at, so much the better,” ,