New-York tribune., 1921-12-28
French Senate
Inslstent on
Powerful Fleet
Arms Limitation Proposed
in Washington Sharply
Denounced i'll Discussion
of New Marine Budget
Right Of Defense Upheld
Submarines Declared an Es-
sential Weapon; Use TO
Kill Commerce DepIored


PARIS, Dec. 27 (By The Associated
Press) .-Francc's determination to
have powerful feet and objections to
the limitation efforts of the Washing
ton conference were vigorously voiced
in the Senate to-day during a discus
sion of the marine section Of the gov
ernments budget.
Senator Henry Berenger, who report
ed the marine budget, said France was
at decisive turning point. "Ts France
still independent in her navy as in her
army?" he asked. Has the old prin-
ciple Of sovereignty been sacrificed
somewhat in those conferences wherein
we have been promised sort of inter-
rationale of happiness ?"
Senator de Kerguezec defended the
submarine as an essential weapon of
defense, but wished it to be confined 10
military uses, Instead of being applied
to torpedoing commerce. at the
Washington conference" he said, eve
were surprised to see the French dele
CATION demand 35O,000 tons of capital
carry war into foreign waters. France
desires no imperialism, but if we found
Admiral de Bon's proposal strange
there are, nevertheless, limitations
which we cannot accept"
Submarines for Defense Only
Senator de Kerguezec declared il
was impossible that the French deleca.
tion at Washington had said that sub
marines would bs used to destroy the
enemy's commercial feet. He explained
the necessity of submarines in defend
ing the coast and in transportation of
supplies for troops
Minister of Marine Guisthau. reply
ing to Senator de kerguezeo. said he
was greatly affected by the remarks
about the Washington conference, but
he asserted: Nothing has been pro
posed that reduces Frances power"
Moreover, he declared. no decisions
reached at Washington would be effec-
tive until the French Parliament had
approved them. He explained that the
naval program was reduced through
lack of money, but that a defensive
program was prepared providing for
the utilization of the commercial fleet.
Senator Berenger severely criticized
the condition of the navy, and other
Senators Joined with him in urging
speedy reforms. Senator Berenger
described the central naval admins ira
tion as being Sin a state of what I
term arterio- -sclerosis"
Preceding the debate over the naval
budget, the Naval Commission had
published a resolution, urging the
Minister of Marine to increase the
number of submarines SO as adequately
to defend the coast line, in view of the
present weakness of the navy, which
was stressed during the discussion in
the Senate.
Rights Held at Stake
The concluding paragraph of the
! Naval Commissions resolution was as
follows:
"One cannot conceive, therefore, tn at
Frances efforts in this direction should
be obstructed or limited. 1t is ques-
ton of national independence and of
the right of legitimate defence that is
at stake" The resolution was adopted
in connection with the Naval Commits
sions report on its program, based on
two principles: That the French Navy
must always be superior to the German
Navy ana sufficiently supreme in the
Mediterranean to safeguard French
interests in North Africa and the Near
East
! The Naval COMMISSIONS report cred.
its France with having forty mine sub
marines, of which fifteen, it is declared
will be obsolete by 1925. These are tc
be replaced only by twelve provided il
the present program, although twenty
four others are scheduled for the in,
definite future. The commission sug
gests two groups of undersea craft. one
to be composed of short-rango and the
other Of long range submarines, ths
latter group being for pursuit o.
enemy commerce, pursuit of pirate:
! and Of light enemy cruisers"