Evening star., 1921-12-16
May Create seriou. situation.

| 1t was evident that If France per-
! sists in her demands a very serious
| situation will arise with regard to
| the Limitation of armameuts
! After the meeting of the committee
| of fifteen, Ambassador Jusserand.
| m member of the French delegation. de-
| MED that France was asking for ten
new battleships.
| The committee of fifteen. it was said.
| had a general discussion and adjourn
i ed until tomorrow at IL O'Clock without
! announcing any conclusions.
If the French and Italians go ahead
\ with the construction of ten new
| 35.000-ton battleships each, as pro-
| posed by France, in 1885 there will
have been added to the total naval
tonnage capital ships 100000 tons.
! Together the French and Italian
navies. in capital ships. would have
i 100000 tons more than either the
United States or Great Britain.
The view of the American delega-
! tion Is believed to be that France
should have a naval ratio of approx
+, imately 2 as compared to the 5-5-3
ration for the United States. Great
| Britain and Japan, but with the right
Of replacing some of her older ships.
The proposal of France would give
her 100000 tons. in capital Ships.
/ which is in excess Of the ratio al
| lowed Japan under the agreement.
| II the United States and Great Brit
ain desired to keep on an equality
even, with France and Italy. under
/ this proposal of France, beginning at
| the end of the ten-year naval holiday.
| they would have to construct seven
! new battleships of $4,000 tons in five
| years For at the end of the naval
holiday they will have only three such
| ships. II they were to maintain the
naval ratio proposed, they would have
| to construct ten sucn ships in five
years.
! American Point of View.
i From the American point of view. it
is said, the proposal of France brings
up a very serious economic situation.
1t costs in round numbers between
S4o,OO0.000 and $5o.o0o,o0O to build a
! 35,000-ton battleship today. Both
France and Italy, liz the tenyear pc
riod beginning in 1925. would be call
| ed upon to expend. s500,00O,000. ap-
proximately, for battleships.
| In addition to this the United States
and Great Britain would be called upon
to expend a similar amount in five
years, after the close of the ten-year
naval building holiday.
! 1t is felt here that the expenditures
of such sums for naval construction
would place a great handicap upon
the world. Also, Japan. which will
have only two new 35.000-ton ships
at the end of the naval holiday. would
necessarily feel that she, too, had to
build her proportionate share of these
vessels. necessitating a similar large
expenditure.
French Reason for Proposal.
The French advance as a reason for
their proposal that during the war
France did not build up her navy, and
that it is in a bad way today; that
France gave all her energies and
money to her land armies. For this
reason, they say, they are entitled to
be allowed to build up their naval
strength now.
The Americans and British and the
Japanese all are inclined to admit
that because Of the circumstances
and also the Italians should be al
lowed to add to their navies now. But
that France would make such de-
mands as are being put forward was
not anticipated.
A spokesman for the British said
French demands excessive" Mr.. Bal
four is expected to state the British
point of view later today with re-
gard to the submarines and the
French proposal. The British here
realize that the matter is Of very
great Importance to their people at
home.
Program Seen N Menace.
The French proposal is regarded as
being a menace to the settlement of
the entire program for limitation of
naval armament. The reason for the
adoption of a naval ratio. it is ex-
planned in naval circles. Is to fix the
naval strength of the nations-as far
as possible-so that it will be prac-
aggressive naval warfare against each
other: The ratio hes therefore; 70 En-; is Of Of
utmost importance; more ore SO o. than an,,tht the
Of naval building. when -comes to
the matter of peace. OF course. the
naval holiday will be a great bless
ing to the taxpayers Of the nations
involved in the agreement.
| When the next open session OF the
conference will be held was a matter
Of conjecture today. The conferees
must first iron out the French and
80 3 III