The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-21
France Proposes
New Naval Policy
Only British Willing to Say
Anything at All About the
Latest Problem

Washington. Dec. 1G (By the As
sociated Press) negotiations
for reduction Of naval armaments
struck an unexpected obstacle today
while. the Far Eastern discussions
were making unexpected progress
France furnished the latest COM
plication in the naval problem, and
although details of her attitude
were carefully concealed, she was
represented as desiring to launch a
capital ship building program on a
scale that would scrap the whole
ship scrapping plan agreed on by
the United States, Great Britain
and Japan.
In the Far Eastern conversations
the question Of Japanese with
drawal from the Kiaochow railroad
in Shantung, which "a hours ago
seemed to have reached a stage Of
considerable delicacy, was brought
suddenly TO the point Of a tentative
agreement between the Japanese
and Chinese delegates.
Other issues OF the arms confer
ence remained at q standstill, al
though in the senate the attack on
the four power treaty was renewed
by Senator Reed (Democrat) Of
Missouri. and administration
spokesmen took notice of the de-
bate long enough to say they did
not regard the treaty as obligating
the United States to take military
action.
In the naval committee Of Is the
British formally presented their re-
quest for 2oolition Of the subr arine
but discussion was deferred and it
was indicated that the points would
not be pressed with any hope Of
success. The request was all but
lost sight Of in the stir created by
presentation Of the views Of France.
What actually happened With re-
spect to the French proposal was
screened behind tho Introduction Of
secrecy that surrounds the meetings
of the committee OF 15-a secrecy
which was agreed upon today by
the committee itself. An official
spokesman of the British delega-
ton, however made bold to say
that the French had presented
building program that would give
them ten $4,000 ton superdread-
nauehts during the ten years subsc-
quent to 1925 and that Great I'ri:-
ain. the United States and Japan all
had objected.
Developments that followed this
disclosure gave evidence of brew
ing storm over the question of Sc
crecy for sessions of the commit
tee. The French declined to COM
1nent. saying that under the disci.
pine Of the state department they
were pledged to Keep quiet. An
Official American spokesman fol-
lowed the same course. saying that
the situation was tha. the comGlit-
tee met at II O'clock and adjourned
at 20 minutes to to meet again
tomorrow.
Both the French and Americans
expressed surprise that any ore
had ventured to reveal what hal
transpired behind the closed doors
of the committee ro9Ei and thcro
were hints among the French that
an investigation shol,ld be institut
ed.
Out of the tangle the cnly nation
al attitude to be clearly anunciated
was that of the British government.
They said frankly they could not
approve the French rlan, since "
would give to France by 1882
great preponderance Of new. first
class ships over every nation In the
world. If France Dullt. they said
Great Britain must build too.
Italy was also represented as
disappearing the French plan but
as insisting that she must keep
abreast of France in any rear
rangement Of naval s'r+ngth.