Sharp Comment by Japanese Newspaper on American Naval and Air Expansion From Our Ows Consrsroxvent Tokyo, May 1.
Declaring" that the United States convened the recent disarmament conference "in order to force others to limit their fighting strength 59 that Anieriea could improve the fighting strength of her own Navy, kokumin," a powerful nationalist organ with a very wide eirculation, asserts that the air plans of the United States Navy now finder consideration may justly be considered an attempt to nullify the benefits of the Washington Conference for the Limitation of Armament, "Kokumin," "the execution of the plan projected by the United States will seriously weaken the strength of the Imperial Japanese Navy and will invalidate the definition of the 5-5-8 ratio agreed to at Washingtor 'The new expansion scheme, the paper thinks, is an increase of armament in' anticipation of the new period when warship§ will be largely replaced by aircraft. "It a deliberate violation of the Washington Agreement," the paper proceeds, "especially in the rear spirit of that Agreement. When the expansion is fully realized, the between the American ' and Japanese Navies will no longer be as 5 to 3."
The "Kokumin" than outlines the proposed building scheme. "In all, 1,614 aeroplanes and two, airships' are to be constructed," says, "It is. the intention of the United States to maintain jewerful aeroplanes capable jon on the first line of de-while it is reported that the two now dirigibles will be of gigantic dimensions, each larger than the ill-fated Shenandoah. The estimated cost will be $98,078,000 which, in Japanese currency, equivalent to Yen 186,156,000. This is certainly outrageot a that the vg attitude taken by the Japanese authorities and people was responsible for the 5-5-3 ratio at the Washington Conference. "If Japanese public opinion had—been stronger, such would never have happened and Japan would have won her point. As it is, the Japanese themselves are to' blame for the 5-5-3 ratio. The United States is bent upon expanding her Navy energetically. How can Japan best meet this situation Every citizen ghould exercise careful and honest thought in order that Japan may be able to surmount whatever difieulties may confront The editorial winds up by saying that there is no anticipation here Jof an American-Japanese war and that the Japanese would really not fight America. "A right ratio of armaments, however," says the editor in conclusion, "is, in our opinion, absolutely necessary for maintaining the peace of the Pacific and is absolutely nece§sary for the and prosperity of our
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.