The New York herald., 1921-12-16
Franco : Italian Demands
May Increase Whole Scale
of Navy Ratio.
AMERICAN FEARS REMAIN
Conference Advised to Keep
Showing Results to Avoid
Mischief Making.
BY wICKHAM sTEED.

d SItlt IldS Uecll CduSeu Dy Il report
the Japanese delegation brusquely re-
fused to discuss Japan's notorious
twenty-one demands on China when
the Chinese delegation put the matter
before the Far Eastern committee on
Wednesday. In consequence Of the
Japanese refusal, 1t was said, the COM
mittee had hurriedly adjourned.
Further cause for alarm was found
In the rumor that. after showing readi
ness to consider financial settlement Of
the Shantung railway question. the
Japanese had reverted to a negative
attitude.
ILate reports are to the effect tha.
the Japanese delegation had accepted
the Chinese offer Of 5S,Oo0,O00 gold
German marks, subject to Tokio's ap-
proval.J
In reality the boot seems to be
partly on the other leg; and, in any
case. the boot Is no bigger than a
Chinese lady's foot. The Chinese
spokesman seems to have made a
somewhat complicated statement to
the committee, which even those anx-
ious to be helpful to China were un-
able to understand. The Japanese
spokesman insisted apparently with
some lack Of suavity, that the Chinese
proposals could not be discussed in
that form, and that it would be neces-
sary to study them In writing. The
committee therefore adjourned, pend
ing their reduction to intelligible docu-
mentary shape.
Nevertheless 1t Is clear that by their
own unaided efforts the Chinese and
Japanese delegations would find some
difficulty in reaching a satisfactory
agreement. Each is playing to a gallery
jn its own country and each exhibits a
certain incompatibility of humor, IL not
of temperament. toward the other.
The attention OF the principal British
and American delegates has been SO
absorbed during the last few days by
the naval ratio question that their
friendly guidance of discussions Of Far
Eastern affairs has been less constant
than 1t would otherwise have been. This
drawback soon will disappear and Chi
nese problems may again advance
rapidly toward agreed solutions
There remains the Franco-Italian
ratio. Italy has all along demanded
equality with France. The French dele
cation has shown disposition to de-
nand a high ratio, not indeed necessarily
rs to attain 1t. but In order to escape so
low rating as to place France per-
manently among the inferior naval
Powers and thus preclude future naval
expansion.
However valid the French contentious
may be. they encounter two serious OBJ
iectons of a moral rather than a tech
Iical order. The first is, That IL the Pow
crs whose present naval strength is far
below that of the United States, Great
Britain and Japan claim a ratio in ex-
cess of the standard accepted by others
the effect OF the decisions of the con-
ference so far as France and Italy arc
concerned would be to increase, not to
limit naval armament.
Thc other objection is, That II France,
after putting forward strong claim for
the maintenance Of extensive and ex-
pensive land armaments as indispensable
to her national security insists also on
the right TO build navy in excess OF
her actual or prospective requirements, q
very serious misunderstanding of her
motives may become general in the
United States.
Even M. BRANDS great speech at the
second plenary session failed to remove
American fears--utterly unfounded
though they be--that France may, after
all, be militarist at heart. These fears
recently provoked movement arrong
y group of Senators to urge the imme-
diate repayment of the French debt. on
the ground that France was spending on
.i-1.
properly devoted to the reimbursement
of her American creditors. That move
mart was repressed. not without diff
Guilty But were French demands in con-
nection with the naval ratio TO afford
an excuse IL might revive with certain
! 1iveliness.
The only logical solution OF tho
Franco Italian ratio question would be
an American proposal extending pro-
portionately to France and Italy the
formula suggested for the United States.
Great Britain and japan. Such an ex-
tension might allow to France and Italy
approximately l.7 or 1.75 of capital ship
strength. II IS unknown whether an
American proposal TO this or TO a simi-
lar effect has actually been made but
no surprise would be felt were IL made
soon.
Once again the feeling is growing that
tho utmost despatch compatible with
efficiency Is desirable i'm making public
tho decisions of the conference. AN
even apparent loss OF momentum en-
courages idle minds to plot mischief.
Moreover. a tendency to reserve Judg-
rnent on the quadruple treaty that has
gained ground in the Senate since ex-
President Wilson advised his friends
among the Democratic Senators TO stand
aloof from the treaty till the other con-
clusions of the conference have been
announced may spread 10 the public
unless tangible evidence of the con-
tinued success of the deliberations of
rne conference is soon forthcoming.
Counsels of prudence, however well
meant, may be more deadly than direct
antagonisn, for the ostensibly prudent
may invoke superior wisdom. whereas
the openly hostile can plead solely their
own rancor. But President Harding
and Mr.. Hughes and his colleagues are
not men for whose feet snares can be
laid unseen, nor are the statesmen OF
other delegations likely to be less than
wary.