The New York herald., 1921-12-30
he State of the Conference at
.oAs This Writing.

shs This Writing.
1T must not be assumed that all
has gone to naught with the confer
ence- simply because France has
thrown monkey wrench into the
with regard to the sub
marine and other auxiliary fighting
cfaft. 1t is true that her refusal to
ge along with the other nations at
has rendered impotent
the naval program as presented by
theoiAmerican Government, save as
it serves to cut out the appalling
costs of the capital ship. All the
nations, including France. have got
together on this point.
EBut in cutting her tonnage on cap
ita1 ships in accordance with the
l&merican proposal France insists on
very large increase in submarine
Image and in auxiliary cruisers
other fighting craft, which in
Rse is perhaps tantamount to her
tnal demands for much larger
Iance of capital ships than the
es plan conceded.
his situation it becomes a ques-
Just how much saving, If
lnce will make in the scrap
capital ships, determined, as
make good their place with
val vessels. But this isn't
ce's attitude will preclude
impossible to England,
lily, America and other ma
savings they expected to
would have made from the
of capital ships, with
hs on auxiliary naval war
specified in the American
cussing Frances demand for
of 10000 tons Of submarines
kLrouR said:
ubmarines are a powerful weapon
|ne purpose only. the destruction
bmmerce. 1t is not unreasonable
Great Britain when threatened by
[blishment. within a few miles of
coast. OF vast fleet OF subma-
IS which are of no use except to
lroy commerce, to say candidly
could not look with indifference
on the situation that would thus be
batAd."
Ir. BALFoUR said further and
hch more plainly:
1T is perfectly clear that IL at our
/very gates a fleet of 10000 tons of
submarines. $4,000 of which are to be
Of newer type. are TO be con-
structed. no limitation of any kind
on auxiliary vessels capable OF deal
ing with submarines could be admit
ted by the Government which 1
represent"
This mems that whatever France
does IN the way os constructing a
powerful navy, Great Britain will
match her IN the same proportions
of the French and British navies now
existing. And so the hoped for
savings to the overburdened world
are by way of going over the dam,
IL England is compelled to build a
huge navy to hold her relative posi-
tion with France, and IL America is
compelled to build more and more
ships to hold her relative position
with bott England and France, and
IL japan and Italy are compelled to
90 on building to hold their relative
positions with England, France and
America.
But the saving OF money on world
navies isn't everything with the
Washington conference. II there had
been no discordant element in the
naval program. and all had moved in
perfect accord, the achievements in
respect Of navies would have been
OF dwarfed dimensions by the side
of the achievement in the Pacific.
OF all the agreements of the con-
ference that one eliminating the
treaty is inestimably
the greatest in tangible results. But
even greater, vastly greater, than
this is the initiation of international
goodfellowship destined to take the
place through friendly discussion
VI open minds Of all dangerous
kems such as hitherto have too
Rant a hasty call to arms.
I Ck0v,v,xs