Papers Comment on Issue between Government and Naval General Staff over Naval Pact Frost Our Own Tokyo, May 3.
In the issue between the Government and the Navy General Staff 25 to which possesses the greater authority' in passing on_ tentative treaties affecting the status of national security' in times of peace, the press comes out almost in toto on the side of the Government, The contention of the naval men is based really on the power that had been vested. in naval and military" men. during the early Stages of Japan's emergence to the forefront of world affairs. From the Meiji era to the Taisho period—that is to say from the abandon-iment by Japan of her isolation to the end of the reign of the present Emperor's futhor—generals and admirals were very powerful; Goverment. was allowed to. interfere.in any decisions adopted by them, and. this princi infareed by an Imperial Ordinance promulgated in 1007 when Field Marshal Count Terauchi was Premier, As time went on, how ever, the tendency to whittle down these arbitrary powers became greater and greater, and the pros to-day points out that there 1s no reason whatever why these old privileges, which may have served a ood. purpose. in days gone. by, should be perpetuated.
"The power of the Navy and the Army General Staffs," says the Anahi," shoud be x0: limited that their recommendations should taken only us advice in determining national policies, and on no condition whatsoever must they be allow.
time of peace, to dictate to the Government in regard to national policies, Defence is a matter that falls within the orbit of the Govern-tment's responsibility and the Army fand Navy ought to show the nation better example of discipline than to seek to upset the Government in order to retain obsolete. privileges Which they enjoyed: when constitu. tional government in Japan was not fas advanced as it is to-day." tions whose power public opinion desires to see curbed."
The Opposition is warned by practically all the bigger organs that if any such movement is Taunched, it will react on the Seiyukai itself and injure it greatly "for it will mean that the Seiyukai is conspiring to let military' circles rise to a dominant position in this country again."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.