The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-28
POWERS STILL FAR
 FROM AGREEMENT
 ON THE QUESTION
Continued from Page one)

of submarine strength if the other powers would join with her in treaty designed to preserve peace in European waters.
 As tentatively outlined, such A treaty would be similar in purpose to that just concluded to cover the Pacific, and would have as it's sigma tories France, Great Britain, Italy and Germany. Should they desire to do so, it was said. the United States and Japan might also participate in the agreement, although the inclu sion of the four European powers. including Germany expressly, would be considered indispensable.
 While all of these informal sug- gestions were occupying the atten- tion of many of the delegates dur ing the recess of the naval commit tee, several of the conference sub committees held meetings to discuss collateral issues. The subcommittee revising Chinese tariff arrangements seemed near an agreement which would increase Chinese revenue, and the subcommittee on aircraft drew up a tentative declaration of prin- ciples to govern air warfare.
 Naval Experts
 The naval experts also consulted ONtI d pidH 1OI uDilOII1 GllSIll of warship tonnage to prevent fur ther confusion over the varying measurement standards now in use by the several powers.
 In the deliberations of the subdi- visions of the conference there ap- peared a growing tendency to leave details of the Washington negotia- tions to be worked out by continu- ing commissions who would report directly to the various foreign offices or to future conferences. Two or three such commissions already have been decided on and 1t was indicated in administration circles that the whole scheme of continuing consulta- tions among representatives of the powers was regarded by President Harding as fitting in with his pro- posal for a future series of interna- tioual meetings.
 The President, it was said by ad- ministration officials, would be much disappointed if the Washington con ference adjourned without a definite agreement for similar negotiations in the future. Should no agreement on auxiliary craft be possible here, 1t was declared. Mir. Harding would feel that an understanding for another conference on that subject would be all lnIeBIdl part Ol klit Washington negotiations. He was described as desiring that many of the nations not represented here be invited to join a future auxiliary warship discussion, making the meet ing virtually a world conference.
 Naval Auxiliaries
 Whether any agreement IS to De reached on naval auxiliaries of any type is regarded as depending on a favorable solution of the submarine question, because if France and Ja- pan insist on building more under water craft than are proposed for them under the American plan, other powers will be disposed to add to their navies disproportonate ton mage of various classes of anti-sub- marine vessels. 1t is not regarded as likely, however. that failure to agree on auxiliaries will in any way affect the agreement already made as to capital ships <
 In Japanese quarters it was4 em- phasized tonight that the Japanese delegation was not in position Of supporting the claims of France to a 90 GOO submarine tonnage. Japan tt was said, was objecting to the Amer ican plan solely from the viewpoint of her own national interest, which she felt required the maintenance of 54. 900 tons of submarines, instead Of