The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1921-12-30
BELIEVED HUGHES
PLAN IS DOOMED.
Submarine Question Threatens
to Deadlock the Farley.
JAPAN REJECTS PROPOSAL
France Also Stands Firm in Her De-
mand for Big Navy and Insists
on Heavy U-Hoat
Tonnage.

Washington, Dec. 28.-IndicatiOns
that Secretary Hughes plan for reduc-
ton and limitation Of the submarine
fleets of the five big powers is doomed
TO certain failure was further strength
ened here.
Masana0 Hanihara, who instantly
expressed Japan's opposition when Mr..
Hughes submitted his proposal Satur-
day, repeated emphatically that Japan
will not accept any reduction below the
$4,000 tons of submarines allowed
Japan in the original American naval
program for the 5-5-3 ratio as between
the United States, Great Britain and
Japan. Under the new Hughes prOpO-
sitiOn Japan would have only $1,000
tons.
The French delegation received or
derS from Paris to reject the Hughes
proposal. Details of the instructions,
which were cabled by Premier BRAND
after a lengthy meeting of the French
cabinet, were not made public, but it
was learned that they were clear and
definite.
Situation Is Serious.
American officials regard the situa-
ton as having assumed such serious
aspect that they declined to vouchsafe
any comment on the probable outcome
or the effect upon the conference as
whole.
Mr. Hanihara left no doubt whatever
IS tod nTJf
that Japan's rejection of the Hughes
plan on Saturday had been unqualified
and that the question had not been re-
ferred to Tokyo except as incidental
to the nightly routine reports of each
days transactions.
Mr. Hanihara emphasized that the
Japanese delegations instructions on
the submarine question were quite
clear These instructions are, not to
accept any deviation from the original
American proposal.
The Japanese delegation took Occa-
sion to state that Japan was not back
ing France, but was acting entirely
separately.
The apparent conflict between the
American delegation and the official
advisers appointed by President Har-
ding on the Hughes proposal to scrap
$4,000 tons of American submarines
the outstanding feature of his new plan
was made clearer. 1t was learned
authoritatively that Mr.. Hughes ref
erence in his speech Saturday to a diff
ference of opinion among naval eX-
perts with regard to the submarine did
not mean a difference among the
American experts. They are solidly
in. favor of large submarine fleet for
the United States. The differences of
opinion Mr.. Hughes referred to exist
in the foreign delegations. Some OF
the foreign eperts, mainly British,
oppose the submarine.
1t was assumed, it was stated Off
cially, that the report of the advisory
committee, which was drafted by
subcommittee headed by Rear Admiral
Rogers, member of the navy general
= board, represented the views of the
United States experts. The unanimous
Endorsement of the report by the civil
ian members OF the duNlSSIy cOuIult-
tee including men and women repre-
senting every shade of opinion in the
country, as stated by Mr.. Hughes, also
left no doubt as to the peoples atti-
tude in favor of an adequate sub
marine force.
Note of Pessimisn1.
A distinct note of pessimism with
regard to the value of the work Of the
conference thus far was. struck by an
official spokesman for the italian dele
CATION. He declared Italy was greatly
disappointed over the outcome of the
capital ship ratio controversy, which
will force upon her the burden of
building to maintain a parity with
France. and the Italian delegation was
declared to be not very optimistic over
the efforts to restrict submarines and
other auxiliary craft. AS matters now
stand, 1t was plain from the Italian
spokesmans statement, Italy fears that
as a result of the conference she will
have to spend more money than be-
fore.