PACIFIC MENACE

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1934, Page 7

PACIFIC MENACE

DEMAND BY JAPANESE NAVY STRENGTH EQUALITY EFFECT OF MILITARISM ANGLO-AMERICAN VIEWS TWO “DRIVEN TOGETHER” By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. London, Nov. 18. Lord Lothian, in an article in the Observer discussing the crisis, in the Pacific, says: “The situation is full of menace to everybody, including Japan. She is being led by her short-sighted military leaders to abandon the farsighted policy which led to the Washington treaties and to plunge into the same diplomacy of force which brought Germany to a catastrophe in 1914 and which must similarly ruin Japan. “It is absolutely certain that . the United States and the whole British Commonwealth must ultimately be driven together in resistance to Japanese militarism. “The root of the immediate difficulty lies in the inability of Britain and the United States to take that.united resolute action which will strengthen the moderates in Japan. “If Britain and the United States stand together now Japan’s militarists will soon decide that it is better. to come to terms than incur the opposition of both.”

The Daily Telegraph’s naval correspondent says: “Japanese circles are of the opinion that the naval conversations have reached a most critical stage and that the crucial ratio problem is as far from solution as ever. The Japanese state ‘that Britain and the United States must now realise our demand for equality to replace the 5/5/3 ratio. This is not a mere bargaining gambit. Its unqualified acceptance must be one of the first conditions for co-operation in naval disarmament. We have as much moral right as anyone to a first-rank navy. The Washington ratios were merely temporary and expedient.’” The correspondent adds that against the. Japanese claim it might be urged that the Japanese navy is already so strong relatively that it absolutely controls Far Eastern waters. In view of Lord Lothian’s statement a cablegram received from Washington on November,, 16 is interesting. It stated: — The United States has under consideration British overtures for joint action in naval affairs in the event of the three-party discussions at London ending in failure. The Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, carrying full details of the proposals, boarded President Roosevelt’s special train on Thursday night to discuss the important question with the President as he speeds towards the Tennessee Valley. Mr. Hull is to return to Washington on Saturday, and it is not likely that any reply will be made to London until then.

It was reported that Japan’s insistence on equality led British delegates to make overtures .to Mr. Norman Davis, one of the American delegates to the London preliminary discussions, on Wednesday.