New-York tribune., 1921-12-27
Meeting at Paris To-day
to Decide Whether De-
mand for 10000 Tons
Is Last Word of Nation
Washington Hopes
For a Concession
Refusal Would Minimize
Saving to Taxpayers
as Result of Holiday

By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2e.-The
next moves at the Armament Lini-
tation Conference hinge on the
stand of the French Cabinet at it's
meeting tomorrow on the question
of submarine tonnage and on new
instructions expected from Toxic
by the japanese delegation relative
to Shantung.
The French Cabinet tomorrow
will decide on the minimum amount
Of submarine tonnage France can
accept. Pending this decision the
meeting of the armament commit
tee, which was scheduled for to-mor-
row, has been put over until
Wednesday. Last Saturday, when
the committee adjourned to give the
French delegation time TO obtain in
structions from Paris, it was
thought this word could be had in
ample time for another meeting to.
morrow.
Change of Tone Hoped For
There is keen interest here in ths
fact that the question is regarded az Of
sufficient consequence in Paris for @
Cabinet meeting to be called to discuss
it. There is strong hope that the
French realize the isolated position
into which they have been forcing
81.
dispatches which have been coming
from Paris for two days-to the effec.
that the minimum Of submarine ton
rage which France will accept is 80 200
will be changed.
If France finally insists upon 10000
tons. which all of her people here. with
the utmost emphasis and the most posi-
tive gestures, demand, novel situation
will be brought about. No ono believes
that such an issue would be permitted
fox moment to wreck the conference.
The general opinion is that if France
insists until the last ditch upon this
submarine program, half as large again
ss the two greatest naval powers in the
world-Britain and the United States
nave signified their willingness to ac-
cept, eventually its wishes will be
met, on the broad general principle
chat half loaf is better than no bread
and it is better tc have partial agree
ment on naval armament limitatiec
than none at all.
Taxpayers Chief Sufferers
Even if the French should proceed
to build 10000 tons of submarines the
situation presented would not seriously
disturb the United States or Japan
from military standpoint. The only
distress would be because France, hav-
ing blocked any attempt to reach sn
international agreement which would
permit reduction of the burden on her
own taxpayers and those of other coun-
tries for the maintenance of armies,
vas now increasing the burden 90 fai
as small naval craft are concerned
That, OF course. would carry with it.
the very opposite effect Of the will
10 peace" which III. BRAND discussed
here so eIoqucntly.
For England would feel called upon
at once to proyide-as soon as France
began the construction of these sub
marines--a much larger feet of sub
marine chasers, destroyers and other
craft found effective in the destruction
OF these "vipers of the sea" during the
World War. Some OF the British feel
Aeenly that in building a large sub
marine feet the French are aiming at
them and them alone. and the British
nave expressed. this view frankly here.
Since the first days of the confer
ence President Harding has hoped ar
rangements would be made before the
present conference adjourned so that
such meetings could be held annually,
II this should be suitable.
Campaign Idea VitaIized
These annual meetings. in the Presi-
dents mind, would constitute tho as
sociation Of nations for which he has
been hoping and about which he talked
in his campaign speeches last year
1t is toward these future meetings
that the British have been making
their crusade for the abolition of the
submarine, as thev realize perfectly
hey will not be able to bring il about
1T the present conference
All prospeClS Is ICf Ausure meetings or
the conference, however, win be in
fuenced 4 great deal naturally by the
incidents occurring from now until the
close CT the present one. This applies
not only TO the subjects which viii be
discussed, but to the nations which
will be invited to participate. for no
sacre9n"ss IS secn~ri "a ~nnr- o;shsr
the particular list of nations attending
the present conference or a~enaa
which have been agreed upon.
President Harding wants to have
certain of the agreements OF the pres
snt conference submitted TO all the ma
tirrs ef fhe world At one OF the fn-
ture conferences-it may be within u
year OF two--land armaments may be
discussed, and in that event Germany
may be called in. 1t is not admitted
10 be conceivable that Russia would bs
sufficiently cG her feet within the
next few years to be factor at such
deliberations.
II the French Cabinet tomorrow
sticks to the a0.0o0-ton submarine de-
mand, and the conference approves Il
after much protest, France viii go bael