South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-12-18
FRENCH REPORT
NAYALPR0GRAM
WAS UNOFFICIAL
Stumbling Block to Naval
Agreement Not Supported
by Paris Government.
CONTINUED from Page -

a final agreement was only a ques-
ton of hours.
As 20 the French proposals for a
new fleet of ten $4,000 ton capital
ships. which stunned conference cir
cles when they first became known
Friday 1t was learned that they
were framed here by direction Of
Admiral Debon, chief French naval
expert under his authority from the
delegation TO present the views OF
the French naval staff. Premier
BRAND and former Premier Niviani
both had left Washington before the
admiraIs proposals were framed.
The Paris government has now been
informed by cable Of the situation
and of the counter proposition.
French Program Suggestion.
1t was evident Saturday night that
the $4,000 ton capital ship limlta-
ton for France was proposed by the
American delegation originally al
though the form in which it was
presented was not disclosed. Italy's
spokesman i'm the committee
Sen. Schanzer. replied that Italy &C
copied the American point of view
as to tonnage whole heartedly and
would be satisfied with 175, 900 tons
If France accepted that figure. The
position Of the Italian delesation, as
II is understood TO have been devei-
oped during the committee sessions
is that the italian government had
two principles 10 maintain in the
naval ration discussion, one that the
Italian navy should be on an equal
ity with that OF any other power in
the Mediterranean. and, two. that
the Italian ration should be Is low
as possible for Italys purely defeu-
sive purposes. Italy'S agreement to
the American $4,000 ton ration.
conditioned only on acceptance Of
that ration by France, followed.
knowledge that the French ten ship
building plan. which up 10 Satur-
day night had seemed a stumbling
block in the way of the conference
was merely the suggestion Of the
French naval staff here as 90 what
il deemed desirable for France. put
a wholly new face on the present
deliberations Of the naval commit
tee The action of The French eX-
perts in outlining their views was
not only, il is understood, author
lied by the French delegation as a
means 10 bring about a full discus
sion of the general problem of naval
relativitics but il was also support
ed by conference precedent.
Committee Change Responsible.
The only written presentation Of
Japan's first claim 10 a naval ratio
of 20 per cent, as compared to the
American fleet, as far as known was
made by Japanese experts in the
original committee OF experts, aoan-
doned later for the naval committee
Of 10 on which conference delegates
themselves sit. Except for that
change. the French suggestion prob
ably would have been presented TO
the experts committee. IL appears
20 have been drawn for that purpose.
Another similarity is that the
Japanese 20 per cent, ratio proposal
contemplated determination Of ma
tional security needs 10 fix limita-
tion as does the French naval ex-
accepted fully the American view
that existing naval strength, calcU-
later in terms of modern capital
ships craft plus proportiOnate al
lowances for ships under constitute
ton and on which money had been
spent. was the only practical basis
of approach 10 a limitation agree
ment The "5-5-3" ratio plan rep
resents that system of calculation.
Italy Wants Small Navy.
The American $4,000 ton plan for
France and presumably Italy also
undoubtedly represents the same
system of existing strength calcula-
ton. There is not available. how
ever. a detailed analysis for ship
scrapping i'm the French and Italian
cases since the tonnage allowance
represents in each case more than
either power now has. Presumably
it does contemplate the scrapping of
all pre-dreaGnaushts of both powers
as of no military value That the
DRY was applied TO American. British
and Japanese pre-dreaduaughts in
the three power preliminary agree-
ment. The French naval experts
still have another conference prece-
dent. although they may not know
II. for presenting their 10-ship esti-
mate OF Frances naval needs on a
basis of national security When
the general board of the American
navy was first directed 20 formulate
naval ratio plan as between the
three leading naval powers. IL is
understood a wholly different promo
sition was evolved from that pre-
scented by Sec'y Hughes at the open
ing OF the conference. Details have
never been revealed as 10 this
American naval expert proposal. but
IL is understood 10 have proposed a
10-10-5 ratio for Great Britain. the
United States and Japan and the re-
tention OF many more capital ships
under construction than Mr.. Hughes
finally proposed 20 the conference.
As IL happens. whether desCnedlv
or not. the "5-5-3" American plan
was an exact compromise between
American and japanese naval ex-
pert view. resulting from the decis-
ion 70 make existing strength. built
and building the basis OF agreement
and 20 scrap all projected building
programs without consideration.
The same rule now has been propos-
ed 10 govern expansion Of the three
power agreement into a fve-power
treaty for naval Limitation. coupled
with a naval holiday OF ten years.
What further notifications may be
necessary before such an agreement
il reached can develop only when
the attitude of the French govern
ment is known.