NO SOLUTION OFFERED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18559, 20 November 1934, Page 7

NO SOLUTION OFFERED

NAVAL DISCUSSIONS THE JAPANESE REPLY CABINET CONSIDERATION (British Official Wireless.) Roe. noon. RUGBY, Nov. 19. The reply of Iho Japanese Govern- . ment to the British suggestions for overcoming the deadlock at the naval talks in London was communicated by . the Japanese Ambassador in London to Sir John Simon. The reply cannot be regarded as offering an immediate solution of the difficulties, but it. carries the conversations a step further. Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary will report to the Cabinet, and an early opportunity will be sought to inform the American delegation of the Japanese attitude. it will be recalled that the British suggestions were directed towards reaching an alternative form of agreement in view of tho refusal of the Japanese to accept a continuance of the rigidly defined 5-5-3 radio of naval strengths, as laid down by the Washington Treaty for Britain, America, and Japan respectively. The Japanese proposals demanded the acceptance of two principles as a basis of an agreement, namely, first, non-aggression and non-menace, and, secondly, equality in national security.

In developing these demands during the conversations, the Japanese delegation urged an upper limit in naval construction, picturesquely called the “ceiling,” might be fixed to apply to all parties, which, however, would not necessarily build up to it. Japan, for example, contended that Britain’s overseas responsibilities might well involve building up to the ceiling, whereas she, while being free to do so, might not, in fact, undertake such a heavy programme. Japan, on the other hand, questioned the American need for naval superiority hitherto conceded.

As parity between Britain and America’s naval strength is recognised here as axiomatic, the effect of Japan’s claim to equal naval strength with American, would apparently involve the Japanese building up to the ceiling, and would place Britain, with all her special responsibilities of the Empire, in a position of being unable to make any special naval provision beyond that made by other Powers with less responsibilities. Britain had, therefore, indicated that she could not accept the principle of a common upper limit.

The suggestions put forward in the Anglo-Japanese conversations included the possibility of a general acknowledgment of equal status among naval Powers, coupled with a continuance of the regulation of the size of navies, and an agreement among the Powers to declare their programmes for a certain numbers of years in advance, and thus check unregulated competition. There were other points of difference between the parties to the conversations, for instance, in regard to the size and types of capital ships, and the abolition of aircraft carriers and submarines. It was with a view to overcoming some of these formidable differences that. the. suggestions referred to above were made by the British when the Japanese proposals were under consideration.