Evening star., 1921-12-21
British Also Preparing Com
ptete Statement on AboI-
ishing Submarine.
TWILL BOW TO DECISION
OF NAVAL COMMITTEE
japanese Expected to Take Side of
U. S., Italy and France in
Submarine Issue.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

With France preparing her program
for auxiliary naval ships. including
submarines. for presentation to the
committee on limitation of arma
ments tomorrow. and with Japan and
China waiting for word from Toxic
| in regard to the Kiaochow railroad in
Shantung, there was a lull in the ac
tivities of the Washington conference
today.
In view of the delay on the cables
between here and Toxic it may be
week, it was pointed out today. be-
fore the Japanese will be ready to
consider further the matter of Shan
tung with the Chinese.
Submarines Up Tomorrow.
The submarine question, however.
will come UP for active discussion and
consideration in the conference com
mittee when it meets tomorrow morn
ing. The French delegates asked the
meeting set for today be postponed
SO they could prepare their estimates
The British are preparing a very
| complete statement of their case.
proposing the abolition of the sub
marine, and this will be submitted to
the conference committee and prob
ably made public later. If the con-
ference committee decides in favor
Of the British contention that sub
| marines should be all scrapped, then
the matter will be settled, except for
the formal agreement on the matter
in open session of the conference. But
it is generally believed that the Brit
| ish have no chance of winning such
a concession to their views
If the conference decides agains.
the British. then they will seek T.
, present their views to the world a
| an open session, which may be helt
Friday, or may go over until mex
week.
Will Bow to Decision.
The British, it was said. will bow to
the decision of the conference COM
mittee on this matter.
| The advisory committee to the
American delegation has made very
| complete report on the submarine
| question to the American delegation.
and it is expected that it will be used
in part by Secretary Hughes in lay
| ing the views of the American dele
cation before the conference. This re-
port has not been made public. But il
| is understood that the American ad-
visory committee has reported against
the abolition of the submarine, hold
| ing that it is properly naval weapon.
| Furthermore, it is understood, the
| committee has gone on record as be-
ing opposed to curtailing the size of
| submarines. as has been suggested
from British sources. The view taken
| is that the larger the submarine the
| easier it is for the enforcement of
seizure of vessels on the high seas,
and the less will be the inhuman acts
by submarines, such as were perpe-
| trated by the Germans during the
last war.
Strict Rules Proposed.
1t is understood also that the re-
port proposes very strict rules for
the use of submarines in naval war
fare and proposes that if they do
not follow these rules they shall be
outlawed.
The report of the American ad-
visory committee is considered a fair
sample of the opinion of the coun-
try. since the committee is composed
of men and women representatives
of the people.
France and Italy have already
manifested their opposition to the
british plan for the abolition of the
submarine. and it is understood the
Japanese will do the same. There
are other nations. however. which are
reported to be opposed to any plan
for the abolition of the submarine.
which they consider particularly a
Netherlands and Portugal. whose
delegations are attending the pres
ent conference. 1t is expected that
at the proposed open session on the
submarine question they will have
an opportunity to express their views
All Decisions Unanimous.
The Washington conference reaches
it's decisions unanimously. or it does
there will be no question of a vote,
with a majority deciding the ques-
ton at issue.
France. it is reported. will ask for
a considerably larger submarine and
would be accorded under the ratio
decided upon for capital ship tonnage.
in which France has acquiesced with
reservations as to auxiliary tonnage.
In some quarters. it is said, she will
ask for $4,000 tons of submarines, or
United States and Great Britain under
II the original proposal of Secretary
Hughes. If Frances ratio Of sub
marines was fixed in accordance with
the capital ship ratio. her allotment
would be about $4,000 tons.
Two Opposite Views.
The conference has before it two
opposite views, therefore - that of
Great Britain, which wishes to abolish
or at Least to curtail the submarine,
and that of France, which wishes to
build up the submarine. It appears
reasonable that the conference should
first determine the question as to
whether the submarines shall be re-
tanned or not. After that has been
settled, then it will be to determine
the tonnage to be fixed under the lin
itation of naval armament plan.
In conference circles there is great
hope that this matter of the subma-
rines and auxiliary Craft will be set
tied satisfactorily. The agreement has
| been reached as to capital ship ratio.
and the conference. II necessary. could
| stand largely on that agreement. ire
| spective Of the submarine, it was said.
This would leave the various coun-
tries to do what they desired regard
ing submarine building. But 1t is be-
lieved that this will not be necessary.
and that a complete agreement on all
naval craft will he had