Japan has exercised her right of abrogating the Washington Naval Treaty. The step has been Aiscounted in advance. damentally is a challenge to collective system of peace-construction, but a friendly challenge in that it puts the system in its mettle and ives it time to readjust itself to the not unreasonable implications Japan's claim to equality. This does mean that that claim is correctly interpreted by mere repudiation of the principles of the denounced Treaty; it merely records a general sympathy with the idea of equality. Obviously the way is now clear to a resumption of a ruinous competition in naval construction, It is also jelear to a practical consideration of always and means to avoid that competition by agreement more in accord with modern conditions. Tt is hardly necessary to dilate on the ficulties propounded by the problem. The comments from Europ? jand America make them all " too clear. For the moment it is sufflcient to note with satisfaction that the abortive discussions in London have produced @ friendly spirit of" understanding, even i they "have failed to compass agreement.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.