The Washington herald., 1921-12-18
u. S. STANDS FIRM
Other Nations Refuse to
Sympathize With Plea
Of Sarraut.
DELEGATION AWAITS
WORD FROM BRAND
Senators May Suggest
Ally Pay Debts, Not
Build Ships.
The naval armament conference q,

deadlocked.
Frances insistence that she shall
be given a larger naval ratio than
Japan is responsible.
The United States will not accent
the French viewpoint Neither Will
any OF the other powers represented
at the discussion Of naval srma-
ments. This was made extremely
plain to the French delegation last
night. II has communicated the DO
sition OF the United States. Great
Britain. Japan and Italy 20 Paris
So far as can be learned the dele
cation made no recommendation
, that IL be authorized to recede from
Its announced position. Premier
Briand and his cabinet will have
to act on their own initiative
Paris today holds the fate Of the
conference in its hands exactly a.
/ Tokyo did week ago. There j.
this difference. Where. an along.
the japanese delegation had an
nounced q willingness % accept tho
ratio as outlined by the United
states. simply fighting % have its
details amended to provide FOR the
salvation Of the beloved battleshlp
hutsu. France very calmly has sn-
nounced that she will establish h.-
own ratio and will not consent 10
any interference with what she
characterize as matter OF ma
tionsl sovereignty.
Conference In Pertl.
This position. stubbornlv adhered
To. must wreck the conference Of
heials are at no pains TO deny this.
~. Ii.
that the deadlock is only tempo
rsry: that IL finally will be ended
through mutual understanding
But they declined positively last
night TO be led into any statement
that the slightest progress had
been made yesterday. The contrary
was the fact. they said
As matter OF fact the delegates
have been taken OF their feet by
the insistence Of the French T.
had been expected that the agree
ment on the naval ratio would Be
easily reached after Japan had been
lined up. So when ". Sarraut arose
in his place and demanded an al
lotment OF more than $4,000 tons
greater than that accepted by the
japanese delegations. he threw tn.
conference into confusion
When yesterdays meeting OF the
committee OF fifteen was opened tn.
French delegation chairman tool,
the moor 10 explain the position OF
his country. He declared that when
the war broke out. France accepted
in good faith the proposal that tho
British navy take up the bulk Of
the task OF guarding the French
coast and protecting the allied com
merce on the high seas. France o.
turn agreed that she would do
everything in her power on land
and held the lines against the Ger
mans until Great Britain was able
90 mass her man power in her va
rious armies.
Evokes No sympstsy.
Now that the war is over how
ever. France believes that she mus
be able. whenever she so desires ~
rehs affiliate and modernize her
navy. She is not a second or third
class power, the French spokesman n
declared. and she wants her right
recognized to arrive at her osy o
tonnage through her own kno~i-
edge OF her requirements for M
tionsl defense. NJ Sarraut called
attention 20 the peculiar coast line
OF France: to her widely separated
colonial possessions. and declared
that, while there was not the slight
est intention OF building at this
time all OF the capital ships that
are required under the plans ap-
proved by the French Minister uf
Marine. France could not afford TO,
sacrifice any OF her existing rights.
His statement OF the French po-
sition was thorough. II. however.
evoked no sympathy fro any of
the other delegations. It point
ed out by other members she q
val committee that there rss %
solutely no reason why France
should want the right TO srud si-
most as large a navy as .1v otlirr.
power when she was reta ri4g un-
der arms the greatest arm IA th-
whole world. The discus ,tor -
yesterday was even more aoiated
than that OF Friday. althou "a there
was at no time even the s.n,blance-
Of a threat. The compromise sririf
was always IN evidence So far a.
the American and British delsaa.
.tions-and they did most of ths
tAlkins--were concerned. Pu thel
made Il extremely plain that u
their opinion the new sttitudc of
the French was absolutely IN ccn-
tradlction to the spirit OF 80 con
ference.
Feel Their Po.ideu.
On one point there was dis-inst
suggestion of friction. Tas Vas
when the French repress ~ lives
| criticised conference sources @
making public the informs on tftt
their position had brouph- aSout
the new deadlock. The suEfpsEt %
was thrown out by Frencl sPcar-
ors that they had been han-lc;,- vi
in world opinion by having oniy.
partial truth revealed. They hC7
That there would have been 4 diScr-
ent Interpretation placed on tAetr
position. especially in American
Congressional circles. had Il bscn
made known that when they asked
that their naval ratio be ASSIGNED
at n larger figure than that ccrced
to by Japan. they had said that lhes
probably would not take ads,us,s-
OF the building privilc 8 a.
time being. at least
| Other delegation speg Al - did -r.,