Omaha daily bee., 1921-12-20
Agreement
UponNaval
Ratio Near
France Indicates Willingness
To Rccedc Professionally
From Original Demand
Of 10 Ships. 49,.
Will Submit Plan Today
Ry ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune-Omaha Bee Leased Wire.


Chicago Tribune Omaha bee Leased Wire.
Washington, Dec. ia COM
promise on the basis OF the limita-
tien of the naval strength OF France
and Italy is in process OF evolution
tonight. t..
France having indicated willing.
ness to recede Professionally from its
original demand for the right to
build 10 capital ships, il is not unlike
ly the compromise will represent an
aggregate capital ship tonnage far
short OF the $4,000 France proposed
but considerably above the l75.0c0
suggested by Secretary OF State
Hughes
The way was paved to a COM
promise by instructions cabled to-
day by NJ. BRAND, the French
premier, who is in London, to Nj.
Sarraut, head OF the French deles ga
lion.
Submit Plan Today.
NJ. Sarraut announced tonight that
the instructions, setting forth the
attitude Of France toward the ap-
piication OF the naval reduction plan
to its navy, will be submitted to
the conference committee OF Is on
naval armament tomorrow. ...
Members of the FrcnCh delegation
explained .j,at the instructions are
rot necessarily final. They demor-
strate. it was asserted, that France
does not intend to stand in the way
Of the consummation of the plans for
naval holiday and limitation of
naval armaments but does desire
consideration of its special needs
tor adequate defense.
At French headquarters it was
asserted that the BRAND instructions
open the way to speedy adjustment
OF differences, which t was predicted
would be accomplished within two
or three days.
The first news of the attitude of
Nj. BRAND which reached Secretary
Hughes was contained in cable
gram from George Harvey, Ameri-
can ambassador to Great Britain, re-
porting the results OF his talk with
the French PREMIER, who reached
London yesterday. The Harvey
message quoted NJ. BRAND as ready
10 accept maximum capital ship
tonnage approximating that proposed
by Mr.. Hughes and supported by the
British, Italian and Japanese delega-
tons.
Agreement is Near.
One member OF the American
delegation, after reading the Harvey
cablegrain, expressed the opinion
that an agreement on the naval holi-
day and naval limitation program
essentially as proposed by Mr..
Hughes is in sight and that this
agreement is likely to be registered
at the meeting of the armament
committee tomorrow.
During the afternoon the detailed
instructions from NJ. BRAND were
received by the French delegation
and, after being decoded, were car
ried to Mr.. Hughes by M. Sarraut.
A discussion lasting nearly two
hours ensued. 1t was stated to-
night that this discussion had
brought the two delegates close to an
agreement.
To permit the negotiations to pro-
ceed on the basis of the fresh in
structions from M. BRAND, the arm
ament committee which met at II
"a. m. had adjourned until tomorrow
at the request of M. Sarraut.
Explain BRAND Appeal.
The propitatory attitude OF the
French today was the result OF the
action OF Secretary Hughes in ap-
pealing directly to NJ. BRAND in pro-
test against the French demand for
the right to build 10 capital ships
aggregating $4,000 tons. That ap-
peal was made through Ambassa Cr
Harvey. When it was reported th~
members OF the French delegation
took exception to the action of Mr..
Hughes in going over their heads
with an appeal to NJ. BRAND, it was
explained by member OF the Amer
lean delegation that there was a
thorough understanding between the
French premier and the American
secretary of state as to such proceed
ing.
France, however. needs capital
ship tonnage represented by its
1914 program, which was abandoned
when the war broke out and which
would have given it more than
twice its present 10000 tons OF
big ships.