Evening star., 1921-12-29
STORMY SESSIONS HELD
BY PARLEY COMMITTEES


subcommittee on naval limitation
yesterday. the following statements
were issued:
The sixth Joint session;+of the COM
mittee on Limitation of arinament and
the subcommittee on naval limitation
was held IN the Pan-American buiio-
ing yest erday morning at IL O'Clock.
Continuing the discussion i'll regard
to the limitation of submarine ten
mage, Mr.. Sarraut said:
Limit on Submarine Tonnage.
"At the last meeting of the COM
mittee, and as the outcome OF the eA-
animation of the submarine question,
proposal was made to fix for each
of the nations represented in the con-
ference the submarine tonnage that
they might possess. Instead OF the
10000 tons required b.: France. 1t was
proposed that this tonnage should be
limited as far as she is concerned to
31.500 tons.
Confronted by such considerable
reduction Of the figures which mad
been given as thei minimum of what
F'"ance considered necessary for her
lf in future, the French dele CATION
was obliged to- refer the matter to Its
government.
of the supreme council of national
defense the situation was examined
and discussed with the most earnest
desire to do whatever would seem
pessihle to further the aim of the
conference and assist in reaching re-
suits.
This deliberate intention has been
carried out in the resolution pass q
a; the meeting as regards capital
ships.
AS a token of the good will of
France. it has been resolved to ac-
c.pt the reduction to $4,000 tons of
her tonnage of capital ships, although
it seems nearly Impossible with Sucn
reduced tonnage to constitute naNai
force composed of ships such as those
which it is contemplated to build, ana
one normally organized. according to
the tactical principles in force In
every fleet.
Settlement Regarded Easy.
"The conditions of application of the
agreement as regards capital ships
will be easy of settlement by taking
into account such qualifications as IL
may be uesful TO introduce in carrying
out the naval holiday through the
liberty of laying down. beginning IN
1927. ships intended to replace, within
the limits of the admitted tonnage,
French ships as they reach their
twentieth year of existence
lit will be likewise easy to settle
the question still outstanding of the
duration OF the agreement as to limi-
tatinn of capital ship tonnage.
After examining, on the other hand.
the composition of the forces needed
by France in auxiliary craft and sub
marines, which are specially intended
for the protection of the territory and
itS communications the cabinet and
the supreme council of national de-
Tense have reached the conclusion
that it is impossible to accept a lirni-
tation below that of 100000 tons for
auxiliary craft and 10000 tons for
submarines without Importing the
vital interests of the country and its
colonies and the safety of their naval
life.
The French dele cation has been in
structed to consent to no concession
on the above figures
ITO sum up. France accepts. as re-
CARDS capital ships. the sacrifice
which she must face in order TO meet
the views of the conference. and which
represents an important reduction OF
her normal sea power. She limits the
program of the future constitution OF
her fleet to- 100000 tons for auxiliary
craft and to 10000 tons for subma-
rines.
while regretting that she cannot
possibly, under the present circum-
stances. entirely carry out the re-
ductions and limitations contemplated
in the American proposal. she at least
feels quite certain that she is taking
an important share in the work OF
the conference by reducing the French
naval power in capital ships, weapon
specifically offensive and particularly
costly. and by accepting limitation
for craft of other categortes.'
Chairman Disappointed.
The chairman said that the com
mittee had heard the statement on
behalf of the French government: 1t
was a definite statement made after
careful deliberation. and he assumed
that it should be accepted as the final
expression of the attitude of the
in, Il
limitation of naval armament. He
was greatly gratified at the willing
ness of the French government to
limit the tonnage of their capital
ships to $4,000 tons. He felt that
the importance of this statement
should not in any way be minimized
CAPITAL ships were the chief weapon
of offense. If the conference could
succeed, as it was now evident that
It would, in reducing In fairly satis-
factory manner armament as repre-
sented in capital ships. it would have
done much to relieve the burden of
taxation and would aid in establish
ing a better basis for a lasting peace
He wished to repeat that he was
highly gratified and appreciated the
manner in which the problem ha,i
been approached by the French
government He understood that
there were, however, certain reserva-
tions with respect to requirements
and the duration of the agreement.
These matters must receive further
consideration and be the subject OF
continued negotiations
He confessed that he was disap-
pointed with the statement concern
ing submarines and auxiliary cra1t
If submarines were to be availap Die
for distinctly defensive purposes IN
connection with the movements OF
fleets, it would seem that they should
bear some definite proportion to the
fighting fleets; this is. If they were to
be used in connection with. the
Iaying of mines, scouting, etc
the necessities inherent in large de-
fensive prepara tions-they should
bear some relation to the operations
of the fleet as whole. The suggeS-
tion that France should have 90,OoO
tons of submarines would, on any
basis of a practical ratio, involve the
assumption that Great Britain and
the United States should greatly in
crease their submarine tonnage. This
could hardly be called limitation or
reduction. Furthermore, II a large
number of submarines were to be pro-
vided, then cruisers and destroyers
the natural enemies of submarines
would have to be provided in mum hers
adequate to deal with the situation
created by a large submarine fleet
1t was a serious question whether
there was hope of accomplishing any
thing like limitation in regard to sub
marines and auxiliary craft. He under
stood that the attitude of the French
government was that, regardless OF
the requirements Of other nations
p 10000 tons of submarines was deemed
to be the minimum essential for
France. If this was SO, the suggestion
of 100000 tons of auxiliary vessels for
France would have its bearings on
what was considered necessary for the
other nations and might make It diff