DISARMAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1921, Page 5

DISARMAMENT.

WHAT WILL AMERICA DO? COSTLY PROGRAMME AHEAD. DECLARED TO BE PROHIBITIVE. By Telegraph.-—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Jan. 28, 11.40 p.m. Washington, Jan. 27. Senator Borah, in a speech in the Senate, declared that the United States could pursue two courses—seek an international agreement furthering disarmament, or construct a navy able to defend the country against any possible group of enemies. The completion of capital ships alone in the American naval programme will cost 640 million dollars. This cost was prohibitive, therefore he advocated determining just what sort of navy America needs, especially the types of ships. Continuing, he said: “I believe the masses of peopie in the United States, Britain, and Japan favor abandoning competitive naval building.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Received Jan. 20, 12.20 a.m. New York, Jan. 27. Mr. W. G. Harding (the new President), in an article in the Naval Journal, says: “It is the navy that guarantees us against invasion. We do not want a navy for conquest, and we would like to reduce armaments, but so long as there is need for American national defence we must maintain our navy, not only in material strength, .but in moral, and the capacity of its (Officers.” —Aus.-N-Z. Cable A£sn. FEELING IN JAPAN. OPPOSITION TO DISARMAMENT. OUTLOOK NOT PEACEFUL. Received Jan. 29, 12.20 a.m. Tokio, Jan. 27. The newspaper Jiji Shimp declares that a member of the Opposition Party has submitted a resolution within party circles advocating the restriction of armaments. The newspaper adds that it is believed the majority of the party is to the idea on the grounds that it is idealistic and impracticable. The existing international situation renders an assurance of permanent peace difficult, the Unified States’ failure to join the League making this quite evident. The newspaper concludes: “Japan has a grave responsibility in the Far East, and must complete and amplify her naval defence.” —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.