The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-19
FRENCH DEMAND FOR SHIPS
LACKS FINESSE, SAYS STEED
Method Adopted Plays Into Hands of Those
Who Flaunt Her Militarism.

termlne its success or failure and
the lack of any adviser capable of
keeping the French representatives
accurately informed on American
views of French policy. actual and
prospective, came, indeed, within
measurable distance of leading to
the possibility of a deep and disas-
trous misunderstanding.
Fortunately it is only a possibIl-
fty, not reality: and before the day
is out, IL the delegates keep calm
and the British and French prime
ministers are wise in their London
meeting, the foundations for an I'M
Outstanding may have been laid.
But there is no margin for any
further mistakes.
l have been at some pains to as
certain the true, as distinguished
from the ostensible, French stand
point. The fact 10 that the present
value of the French navy, IL meas
ured In modern capital ship
strength, is approximately zero.
After a ten years naval holiday It
would be minus zero.
Would Mean Extinction,
France has oversee possessions
to maintain and sea communications
to defend. Consequently the pros
pect of the total evaporation of
French naval power during the next
decade is highly distasteful. France
does not intend to undertake a big
program of naval construction in
the near future. for reasons which
it would be superfuous to enumcr-
ate. but neither does she wish to
perpetuate by hasty formal agree
ment, concluded under the appear
ance of duress, her present infer
iority, which unless redressed in
some way during the next ten years
may mean for her extinction as a
naval power.
The United States, Great Britain
and Japan have agreed to scrap a
large number of capital ships.
France has little or nothing to
scrap that is worth scrapping.
Therefore, IL France is to stand to
the stronger powers in any ratio
of sacrifice, she can sacrifice only
what would be her theoretical re-
Quirements, were there no question
of naval holiday or Limitation of
ornaments.
Admiral de Bon's statement rep
resents these theoretical require
ments. France may be ready to
scrap, or radically to modify, this
theoretical position, provided .
means can be found to save her
navy from utter extinction. Her
admiral's quos ego seems, therefore,
intended to set up an ideal stand
ard. from which deductions may be
made, provided her needs and obh-
cations are taken into account.
Method Lacks Finesse..
With all respect to the gallant
admiral and to the French dele
gates, the method they chose was
approximately the least adapted to
produce q favorable impression on
American minds, or, indeed, upon
the other delegations. It played
straight into the hands Of those
who tirelessly inculcate upon the
American public the doctrine, Of the
fundamental and incorrigible MILL
tarfsm Of French policy.
1t is pitiful that the French peo-
pie, who are perhaps more solidly
pacific and more dominated by the
horror of war than any people in
the civilized world, should con-
stantly be exposed to the appar-
emily colorado suspicion that they
or their representatives harbor un-
peaceful designs. Yet this is the
case
Had the French demands, which
are by no means devoid Of some
Justification been presented differ
emily, or conceived in another
spirit, they would undoubtedly have
met with sympathetic considers.
ton.
Net French Intention.
As It was, the impression went
forth that France, whose spokes-