BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1921, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS

CABLE NEWS.

++» BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. r '■ WARNING TO JAPAN. (Received This Day at lU.J.j a.in.) TOKIO, March 24. President Mito of the Japanese Association of Trade interviewed, said Japan will find herself the enemy of all the world, if she persists in her navol expansion programme, which is leading her along the paths Germany and every other militaristic nation trod. I United States in 1922 will be spending j tenth of her national income for i armaments and Japan one half. I am j convinced, as J read American history, j that America would never fight an ag- | gressive war, hence an American-Jap- j anse war is impossible, while Japan j abides by the principle of right and ' justice. !

MR LANSING’S BOOK. NEW YORK, Mar oh 25. Mr Lansing’s book entitled “Peaci Negotiating, a personal narrative” hai been published. Declaring himsel against the imputation of disloyalty during the Correspondence, with Mi Wilson, leading to Mr Lansing’s resignation in February 1920, tho book shows Mr Lansing disapproved of al most every important step Mr Wilson took beforo and during tho Paris negotiations. Mr Lansing regards as mistakes, Mr Wilson’s trip abroad, his stand at the Peace Conference favouring the use of force, the League of Nations alleged lack of general plan for peace, his task in creating the League and subordination of peace to the League, the alleged illtreatment of small nations, the Shantung settlement, the mandatory system and fondness for secret diplomacy DEFENCE OF JAPAN. (Received this day at 10.20 a.m.) TOKIO, March 25. Baron Kato, Minister of Marine interviewed, said he regretted that sinister propagandists and mischief makers were trying to attribute Japan’s naval programme to a desire to compete with United States. Nothing could be more preposterous or absurd. 'The programme was formulated so that Japan could be defended against any emergency arising in the Far East alone. The projected fleet of citfht battleships and eight battle cruisers, not over eight years’ old, was not necessarily irreducible. Japan had joined -the League of Nations and by so doing supported the principle of reduction of armaments. Whenever there is an international conference, I will he only too glad to co-operate honestly with other Governments to effect this principle. , i i