The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-28
REJECTION
BY FRANCE
HELD BAR
To TREATY
Paris Delegates Agreeable to
Capital Ship Ratio, But Ask
Free Hand on Submarines.
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES,
Internatisnal News Service.

conference, acting on orders from
Paris, went into today's secret ses-
sion of the naval powers prepared
to announce their formal accept
ance Of the LIS limitation on capi-
tai ships and their absolute rejec-
ton Of any submarine offer which
would place France in an inferior
position as compared with other
nations.
,, Agreement Hopeless"
"An agreement on submarines seems
hopeless" said q member of the Amer
ican delegation when he went into the
session at IL o'clock. 1.-The French
don't want to be restricted in sub
marines and we certainly can't force
them"
Another member Of the American
delegation declined to comment on the
outlook, but 1t was apparent that little
hope is held Of reaching an agreement
on submarines.
1t is understood, however, that
Frances rejection OF the submarine
rcgram will not affect her acceptance
OF the LIS ratio as applied to capital
ships, nor will 1t prevent an agreement
being reached on other auxiliary craft
such as light cruisers. torpedo boats,
carriers and lesser fighting vessels.
Centers on Submarine Issue.
The whole opposition on the part
OF France, 1t was said by members
OF the conference, would be directed
| against the submarine ratio, and there
was hopeful attitude as the meeting
got under way that it would be found
possible to limit some classes of other
craft at least.
| The Interpretation that will be
placed on the submarine rejection In
that every nation is to be free to con-
struct as many submarines as it deems
necessary and desirable. A British
spokesman said today that Great
Britain will consider herself free In
this respect and also with regard to
the development of anti-submarine
craft.
| Every indication pointed to the
fiat refusal OF both France and Japan
to accept the American compromise
program on submarines. under which
they would have $1,000 tons Of sub
mersibles to 10000 tons retained by
the United States and Great Britain.
Upon the nature of their refusals,
however, depends whether the nego-
tiations will be continued here in
washington, as the Americans hope.
or whether they will be indefinitely
postponed to be taken up at some
later and larger meeting OF the
lowers, as the French hope.
Like the Hughes capital ship pro-
! gram, the Hughes submarine pro-
gram is elastic, and the American
delegates, at least, went into today's
conference hoping that the charac.
4 ter of the French and japanese re.
fusals would be such as to permit q
continuation of the discussions here
in the general direction of q complete
naval agreement
The French. however, apparently
are intent upon forcing another con-
ference, and the outlook was dark
today that the present conference
will succeed in imposing limitation
on auxiliary craft along with the
limitation already agreed upon with
regard to the big ships.
| Against Postponing Decision.
The attitude Of the other delega-
tions-American, British, italian and
Japanese-is against the postpone
ment of the submarine decision here.
They believe IL should be settled while
the opportunity presents itself. But
agreement can only be made by unan.
imous consent. and II appeared today
that the French will not give this.
The Japanese feel that they have
been placed in an awkward position.
Having once accepted the $4,000 tons
of submarines allotted them under
the, original Hughes program. their
spokesmen declare that 1t is unfair
and impossible for Japan to be asked
to accept still further cut to $1,000
tons as proposed in the Christmas
compromise.
IL the submarine question Ia 70
he allowed to GO oye- until some f,I.
ture conference, and vita u the
whole question OF auxiliary ships
the early termination Of the Wash.