Norwich bulletin., 1921-12-21

Washington. Dec. 20. (By the A PD-l Acceptance by France with reservations or the American proposal of 175. 900 tons m capital ships each for France and Italy, swept the arms conference for ward tonight to its next major problem stated officially. already has accepted the 175.000 ton figure. conditioned only on Hs acceptance by France
 Formal announcement of French ac- ceptance and details of French reserva- tions apparently were reserved by the subcommittee of fifteen for the full na- val committee of the conference. called to meet Thursday. The subcommittee dld break its silence sufficiently. how ever, to publish the messages exchanged by Secretary Hughes and Premier Briand, which led up to the action of the French delegation. The messages were read and discussed by the sub committee but the official communioue disclosed no more than the texts of the cablegrams
 The premier's message showed that reservations attached to acceptance of the 1I5,OOO capital ship tonnage had 10 do With light cruisers. torpedo boats and submarines" This has served to bring the conference to a standstill un- til the submarine issue can be solved when the five-Dower capital ship agree- ment will be completed automatically. II | Is assumed the full naval committee was called to lay out a program fc- the discussion of submarines and anti-sub- marine craft as the two are interwoven in French and British opinion. | This Implies that the auxiliary craft clements Of the American plan must be | Ict,o laI g-sz | ference committees can return to ratify the capital ship agreement.
 | A direct sten toward bringing up the submarine issue in its first phase-tht British proposal to abolish submersible war craft entirely-was taken during the day. The British delegation asked that a plenary session of the conference bt called to permit presentation of their case against submarines. Probably sucl a session will be held during the week although a date had not been announced tonight.
 At such an open session Lord Lee fo
 the British group will set out in detai
 the technical and other reasons why in
 British believe that submarines shoull be abandoned by the world as maya
 weapons. He will read his statement. l Is understood great care having beer l ldheD m us nIepaFdl4Qn. put mere ar
 indications that even in that statemen
 the British will show lack of conviction
 that the conference will share the Britis
 view on submarines. IL will. it Is un
 derstoOd. set out also the secondar
 British proposal that If submarines ar
 to be retained. the tonnage allotment
 of each power be cut far below the ez
 isting strength principle of the Amer can proposals.
 There is also suggestion. in Britis quarters that should neither of thes views on submarines prevail. the Britis
 would deem it necessary to seek radio;
 increase in their allotments of anti-sui marine craft as measure of self-d' l fense. That means more light cruiser s and destroyers and possibly airplar t carriers. for all of these weapons al
 used against submarines
 The cable correspondence between NJ f Hughes and Premier Briand shows tn; 1 as conference chairman Mir. Hugh' 9 dealt very frankly with the situatio created by the French proposal to bui
 ten new capital ships.
 'I regret to say" he said, That 2 . ter canvassng the matter thorough ] and taking the best information I cs I obtain. I am compelled to conclude tn n 1t would not be possible on this bas
 to carr ythrough the agreement"
 Mir. Hughes added. after pointing O s that the retained feet agreement bi | tween Great Britain. the United Stat a and Japan was contingent on "an 8 : propriate agreement with France ar
 Italy" and that there will not be |
 slightest difficulty in making an agre s ment with Italy if we can reach suit l. ble understanding with France" ;- You will observe the attitude h France will determine the success 3 failure of these efforts to reduce |
 heavy burden of naval armament"
 The American chairman also stress l. his view that the French premier's stat ,- ment indicating to the conference t > particular situation of France with T o spect to the land armament" seemed
 point to the very great importance
 reduction in naval armament" ,s "At this time" he added when n are anxious to aid France in full reco V, cry of her economic life, it would > disappointing to be advised that she W
 contemplating putting hundreds of m
 lions into battleships.'
 l. That portion of Premier Briand's reT l. which is taken as acceptance of { r American 175.00o capital ship tonna T. proposal and beyond the-strict letter
 which. 1t is indicated, the French gro
 in the committee of fifteen did not "a today. reads as follows:
 m with regard to the tonnage of ca F tai ships. that is to say. attacking shi " which are the most costly, have giv d instructions to our delegates in the ser
 which you desire. I am certain that
 shall be sustained by my parliament Id this view.
 l. "But so far as the defensive ships |; -e concerned Oight cruisers. torpedo boi B. and submarines) 1t would be impos a ble for the French government witht
 putting. itself in contradiction with
 vote of the chambers. to accept red d tions corresponding to those which ct accept for capitE ships under this f of nal reserve which you certainly will ne derstand."
 as MT. Hughes pointed out to the D r. mier that strict application to the Frer
 navy of the rule of reduction of tom;
 applied in the provisional agreem,
 between Great Britain. the United Sta iE and Japan. would bring her capital s