DISARMAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1921, Page 5

DISARMAMENT.

JAPAN MAY LEAD.

IMPORTANT PROPOSALS. “STAGGER THE WORLD. ’2 By Telegraph. —Press Assn. —Copyright. London, Oct. 27. The Daily Express states that it is now clear Japan is far from being the most militaristic Power and is likely to lead the race for naval disarmament, she may even offer to suspend her own building without asking Britain and the United States to do the same, if her position in China is solved satisfactor* iy.

Japanese statesmen feel that in the financial race for the command of the Pacific they must be beaten bv the United States in the long run. Already the burdens of taxation are producing increasing discontent among the workers and commercial classes. The Japanese delegates will make a proposal for naval disarmament, which will stagger the world, but will ask for the right peacefuly to develop Manchuria and Shantung.

JAPAN READY TO “CUT.” IF UNDERSTANDING REACHED. WILL NOT ACT ALONE. Received Oct. 28, 7.25 p.m. New York, Oct. 27. M. Kato (one of the Japanese delegates to the Washington Conference), ir. an interview, stated Japan was ready to cut down her navy if the Powers reached an understanding at the Washington Conference. He had been criticised as the man responsible for Japan's naval programme, and therefore loath to undo his work, but there was r.othing further from the truth. M. Kato added that if no international accord was reached at the conference Japan could not, and would not, cut down her naval plans by a single inch.—Ranter Service. EXPERIMENT FOR NATIONS. HOPES OF GOOD RESULTS. SPEECH BY PRESIDENT HARDING. Received Oet. 28. 935 p.m. New York. Oet. 27. President Harding, in a speech, said: "I believe it is wholly consistent to preach pace and its triumphs in that convincing sincerity which an unselfish nation commands and yet make sure about our proper defence. Manifestly mankind is disposed to try that experiment. and if in trying the nations shall fail it will not be the fault of the Unit'd States. We are ready to offer a Helping hand in the new path. We teniered our invitation and the cordial acceptance which has come from every quarter leads to an earnest hope of good results. It should not be needful for me to repeat that in whatever contribution we can make to the establishment of the new order we shall not surrender any of our national independence. America will be America first, but never merely selfish.”—Au?.-N.Z. •i&ble Assn.

SPEECH BY LORD BEATTY. ANGLO-AMERICAN RELATIONS. Received Oct. 29, 123 a.m. New York. Oet. 2S. Lord Beatty, in a speech, said:—‘T iiscount utterly the possibility of m* rims differences arising between our to countries. Our every interest and instiaet bind ns together. I believe it is

absolutely necessary to have the closest intercourse between the United States •nd Britain in every sphere of activity. It is not a question of bolstering an artificial man-made alliance, but it is a question of keeping alive and awake the communion which is right and natural between our people. The world will watch with supreme interest the deliberations of the Washington Confer»nce, and nowhere more so than in the British Empire, in the full hope that the meeting of the representatives of the great countries will devise formula and means whereby the burdens will be reduced.”—-Aue.-NX Cable Assn.

POSSIBILITIES DISCUSSED. INTERVIEW WITH H. G. WELLS. Received Oct. 28. 935 pjn. New York, Oet. 27. Mr. H. G. Wells, who has arrived to write a series of articles on the Armament Conference, stated in an interview that the conference was one with extraordinary possibilities in regard to settling some questions which now perplex the world. On the other hand it might dwindle. “If it dies there must be another, for the nations of the world must combine for the collective handling of matters which interest all,” added Mr. Wells. “Unless this is done the process of disintegration which began in 1914 will continue. I believe that if the conference continues it will be bound to develop into an arrangement for world control, not only of international policies, but of financial and ecoromic questions also. These questions cannot longer be handled in any other way than on an international basis.”