The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-12-21
SMALL NAVY TO
SATISFY France
Paris Says Yes to 175,000 Tons in
Capital Ships But Wants
Auxiliary Fleet.
SUBMARINE PROBLEM UP
British Plan to Abandon Submersible
War Craft May Get Pub
~lic Hearing

Washington, Dec. 20.-Acceptance
by France, with reservations, Of
the American proposal, of 175,000
tons in capital ships each for
France and Italy swept the arms
conference forward tonight to it's
next major problem-the subma-
rine issue Italy, it was stated of
ficially, already has accepted the
175,000-ton figure, conditioned only
on it's acceptance by France.
Formal announcement of French
acceptance and details of French
reservations apparently were re-
teen for the full naval committee
of the. conference, called to meet
Thursday. The subcommittee did
break its silence sufficiently, how
ever, to publish the messages ex-
changed by Secretary Hughes and
Premier BRAND which led up to the
action of the French delegation.
The messages were read and dis
cussed by the subcommittee but
the official communique disclosed
no more than the texts of the cable
grams.
T. Auxiliary Fleet ..
The premier's, message showed
that reservations attached to ac-
ceptance of the 175,000 capital ship
tonnage had to, do with slight
cruisers, torpedo boats and subma-
rines." This has served to bring
the conference to standstill un-
til the submarine issue can be
solved, when the five-power capital
ship agreement will be completed
automatically. 1t is assumed the
full naval committee was called
to lay out program for the dis
cussion of submarine and anti-sub-
marine craft as the two are inter-
woven in French and British opin-
ion.
This implies that the auxiliary
craft elements of the American plan
must be shaped into agreement be-
fore the conference committee can
return to ratify the capital ship
agreement.
: Adirect step toward bringing up
the submarine issue in it's first
phase-the British proposal to abol-
ish submersible war craft entire
ly-was ta ken during the day. The
British delegation asked that a
plenary session of the conference to
be called for presentation of their
case against submarines. Probably
SS"",o,i WIZ pe Helu uuIlnS
the week, although date had not
been announced tonight.
To Present Case
At such an open session, Lord
Lee, for the British group, will
set out in detail the technical and
other reasons which the British be-
lieve chat submarines should be
banned by the world as naval
weapons. He will read his state
ments, it is understood, great care
having been taken in it's prepara-
ton. But there are indications
that even in that statement the
British will show lack of convic-
ton that the conference will share
the British view on submarines. 1t
will, it is understood, set out also
the secondary British proposal that
If submarines are to be retained,
the tonnage allotments of each
power be cut far below the exist
ing strength principle Of the Amer
lean proposal.
There is also a suggestion in
British quarters that should neither
of these views OH submarines pre-
vail, the British would deem it
of officers might disturb him: But
the former soldier announced he
necessary to seek radical increase
IN their allotments Of ant-subma-
rine craft as measure of self
defense. That means more light
cruisers and destroyers and posi-
ply, airplane carriers, for all of
these weapons are used against
e submarines
--s-<os4--. l.