The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-17
FRANCE PROPOSES TO BUILD TEN
CAPITAL SHIPS OF $4,000 TONS
EACH WITHIN A TEN YEAR PERIOD
France Furnishes Latest Com
plicatiOns in the Naval Pro-
gram of Conference.
tRy The Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-The ne
gotiat1ons for reduction of naval arma-
ments struck an unexpected obstacle
today while the far eastern discussions
were making unexpected progress.
France furnished the latest compli-
cation in the naval problem, and al
though details OF her attitude were
carefully concealed, she was represent
ed as desiring to launch a capital ship
building program on a scale that would
scrap the whole ship -serapping plan
agreed on by the United States, Great
Britain and Japan.
In the far eastern conversations the
question of Japanese withdrawal from
Kiao- Chow railroad in Shantung,
which "a hours ago seemed to have
reached a stage a considerable deli
cacy, was brought suddenly to the
point of tentative agreement be-
tween the Japanese and Chinese dele
gates.
Other issues of the arms conference
remained at a standstill, although in
the senate the attack on the four
power treaty was renewed by Senator
Reed, democrat, Missouri, and admin
istration spokesmen took notice of the
debate long enough to say they did
not regard the treaty as obligating the
United States to take military action
In the new naval committee of Is,
the British formally presented their
request for abolition of the submarine,
but discussion was deferred and it
was indicated that the point would not
be pressed with any hope of success.
The request was all but lost sight OF
in tho stir created ibw presentation Of
the views of France.
What actually. happened with re-
spect to the French proposal was
screened behind the interdiction Of Sc
crecy that surrounds the meetings of
the committee of ia secrecy which
was agreed upon today by the commit
tee itself. An official spokesman OF
the British delegation, however, made
bold to say that the French had pre-
.sented a. building progrsm that would
give them 10 35,000-ton superdred-
aaughts during the 10 years subse-
ouent to 1925, and that Great Britain,
the United States and Japan all had
objected.
Developments that followed this dis
closure gave evidence of a brewing
6lOIill ONEI LlC QNSolAA1I VI EECIGCY lOE
sessions Of the con1nrsttee. The French
declined to comment, saying that
under the discipline of the state de-
partment" they were pledged to keep
quiet. An official American spokes-
man followed the same course, saying
that the situation was that the COM
mittee met at Il O'Clock and adjourned
at 1:40 to meet again tomorrow.
Both the French and Americans ex-
pressed surprise that any one had ven
tured to reveal what transpired behind
the closed doors of the committee room
and there were hits among the French
that an Investigation should be insti-
tuted.
Out of the tangle. the only national
attitude to be clearly enunciated was
that of the British government. They
said frankly they could not approve
the French plan. since it would give
to France by 1885 a great preponder-
ance of new, first-class ships over ev-
cry nation in the world II France
built, they said, Great Britain must
build too.
Italy was also represented as disap-
proving the French plan. but as insist
ing that she must keep abreast of
France in any rearrangement of naval
strength.