The daily times., 1921-12-17
1t is Contended That if France
Begins a Big Ship Building
Program it Will Mean She
Will be Less Able to Pay Her
War Debt to England Who
Then Couldn't Pay Us.
(By David Lawreuce.)
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily
TimeS.)

Washington, Dec. 16.-France is
the new mystery of the arms confer
ence. Her sudden demand for a navy
that shall eventually equal that of
Japan has thrown the conference into
Ia state of nervous irritation Great
Britain doesn't want any neighbor to
have navy as powerful as that
Japan possesses. For what purpose
would the French use such a navy?
II the French plan were approved,
it would mean that both Great Britain
and the United States would have in
the Atlantic a navy more formidable
than their respective Atlantic fleets
and that all thoughts of concentrat-
ing in the Pacific would have to be
abandoned. Britain would have to
give more attention also to the Nedi-
terranean.
In a nutshell, the request Of France
for a larger navy which some day
would be even more efficient so far as
new ships is concerned than the
British or American fleets has start
ed wave of suspicion. Instead of
thinking about the Pacific problems
as future causes of conflicts, the Brit
ish wonder if some of the many dis
putes which are arising over Near
Eastern questions might precipitate a
sea war in the Mediterranean.
The atmosphere of the conference
has changed overnight Criticism of
the French policy is heard on every
side. The United States delegation
pointment over the failure to compel
Japan to accept the original Hughes
program when the French intervene
with a plan that will increase the
approximately $4,000 day to keep
a battleship in commission. To satisfy
Japanese sentiment about the reten
ton of the "Mutsu,'' the United
big battleships which were intended
for the scrap heap should be kept in
commission SO the increased expense
of catering to Japanese pride is about
100000 a day.
On top of that comes the French
demand for more capital ships. AS
British spokesman pointed out today
the proposal of the French throws a
from many different directions. In
the first place, the French plan is to
begin construction in 1925 and COM
plete the building of ten capital ships
in ten years. This would mean later
type of ship than any the Americans
or. British will have at that time if
the original naval holiday of ten
years agreed upon by Japanese, Great
Britain and the United States is re-
tanned. In order to catch up with
France, both Great Britain and the
United States would have to build
seven more capital ships of post-Jut-
! land type to be on a footing of equal
| ity with the French. Since the battle
of Jutland a certain type of vessel
known as a "post-Jutland ship" has
seemed to render useless all big YES
sells built previous to that conflict.
But there's another angle to the
French demand for big navy. View
ed in the light of European finances
and reconstruction difficulties, the
French proposal is looked upon with
considerable uneasiness in American
as well as British government circles.
It is contended that if France imposes
a burden approximately $500,O00,-
900 for the new series of ten capital
ships, she would be less able to pay
her war debt to Great Britain who in
turn would be weakened by that much
in her financial relations with the
United States. Also, Italy owes Great
Britain as well as the United States
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