The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-29
ENGLISH DELEGATES TALK OF A POSSIBLE
 WAR WITH FRANCE
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 sealed in principle regarding capital ships.
 For the American delegation. Elihu Root proposed joint declaration re- affirming the obligation of subma- rine commanders to warn merchant ships before attack, to refrain from sinking vessels whose crews and pas sengers could not first be placed in safety, and to conform in general to all the established practices of inter- national law. In addition. Mir. Root also suggested a change in existing usage to prohibit attacks on mer- chant vessels altogether and to make submarine commanders who violate the regulation liable to trial as pi- rates.
 General sympathy for the purposes of these proposals was expressed by the representatives of all the powers but definite action was deferred. Should an agreement be reached. 1t IS to be submitted to all civilized na- uons with an invitation for world wide adherence.
 under further proposal presented by the American delegation and given general, but not final approval by the other plenipotentiaries no aux mary vessel of more than 10000 tons could be constructed by any of the powers and no airplane carrier could nave a tonnage of more than 27OO0 tons. maximum airplane carrier tonnage of S0.000 for. the United states SO'oO0 for Great Britain, 4S,- oUo Tor Japan, 2S.00o for France and zs,O00 for Italy also was suggested by the Americans and will he f,,r- ther discussed tomorrow.
 The new raRUlf of eratlons so far as actual progress was concerned. was an agreement mat m future no gun of more than Ao-ihch calibre shall be mounted on q capital ship and none of more than c-ihch caibre shall be included in the armament of any auxiliary vessel or airplane carrier.
 Along with their demand for in- creased submarine and auxiliary ton ndse the French delegation presented ao me committee in definite form, but "i.n M reservation attached, their &C., ceptance of the capital shin ratio rn- der which France is to have a f1rst iine battleshlp fleet of 175, 900 ions The reservation provides that the French De permitted to break in on the 10-year naval holiday so as to begin construc- sioh or replacement tonnage in 1927, TOUT years before the holiday ends.
 Capital Ship Plan
 Tn most quarters this execution was not regarded as likely to endan- ger In any way the capital ship agree ment, but it was characterized by MT. Balfour in the committee session as serious interference with the holiday plan. The proposal Ia under consideration by the naval experts of the other powers, and an effort to reach decision regarding it probably VIII be made in the near future.
 Alpert Sarraut, head of the French delegation, presented the submarine and auxiliary estimates of his gov ernment to the committee in a speech declaring that the figures suggested were a minimum required for nation al defense. He emphasized that highest French naval authorities. as well as the French cabinet, had made dennite decision on the point and indicated that further attempts to se- cure recessions would be futile.
 Under these estimates, France would have a submarine tonnage of s0000, as against 1.000, which she now possesses and which 1t was pro- posed that she retain unchanged un- der the status quo plan of the Amer ican compromise. The United States has only e5,000 tons and Great Britain S2.0o0 tons, and each had off, fered under the compromise proposal to reduce to 6O,00O tons.
 All Disappointed
 All the powers expressed their dis appointment over the French de- cfsion, even the Japanese, who had themselves declined to accept the compromise plan, declaring they had hoped until today that an agreement cOnld ha aIA of the earlier American reduction plan. The most extended reply to M Sarraut, however, was delivered by MT. Balfour.
 France, declared Mir. Balfour, all ready had insisted on retaining the largest army in the world, and had been allotted a capital ship strength which, instead of reducing her pres ent standing as a naval power, actu- ally elevated 1t. In these circum- stances, he continued, it was difficult to believe that the proposed increase in submarine and auxiliary tonnage was designed as a defensive move. He charged that the purpose of so large a submarine fleet was to make an illegitimate attack on merchant shipping In wartime, and added that the whole proposition must be viewed With anxiety and disappointment" when 1t was seen that the new build ing program was to be carried out at the very door of Great Britain.
 Not SIiIitsristic
 In speech replying in tourn to the British statesman, M. Sarraut declared the French government was free from any militarIstic desires. and had no desire to carry on illegitimate warfare. The French, he said, were merely presenting program based on their national needs. whereas the other powers have sought to "au- thoritatively determine" an allot- ment for her without consulting her just requirements.
 The submarine regulation proposals laid before the committee by Mir Root were in the form of series of resolutions, first setting forth the principles now generally accepted in international law and then suggest Ing changes which would further re- strict submarine operations.
 The first of these changes would prohibit use of underwater craft as commerce destroyers. The second would provide that any submarine commander who violates the rules of war, whether or not such person is under orders of a governmt ntai su- perior," shall be liable to trial for ''an act of piracy" with the general prin- ciples expressed in the resolution.