Evening star., 1921-12-30
BY e.. GOULD LINCOLN.

All naval craft except capital ships
and aircraft carriers will be limited
10 10000 tons in size, under an agree
rnent reached az meeting Of the
committee on limitation of arman:en,
OF the Washington conference today.
The United States. Great Britain.
Japan and Italy have given their as
sent to this proposal, and the French
delegation has done SO also with the
understanding that it must be ratified
b., their home government. Favor
able action by the French, however, is
expected.
EiEhf-lnch Gun Limit.
The limitation of the size of the
auxiliary craft, including cruisers.
is regarded as step of great i'm
portance. 1t will result largely in
putting an end to naval building com
petition. The agreement carries with
it also limitation to eisht-inch
guns.
Without these limitations on ton
mage and size of guns. the nations
would be at liberty to construct
so-called auxiliary craft OF very
The committee also considered at
its session this morning the second
Itoot proposal regarding the use OF
submarines in warfare. This would
debar the use of submarines as COM
merce deStroyerS. 1t was not acted
upon, since France, Italy and Japan
have requested instructions from their
home governments. the United States
and Great Britain being ready to as
sent. However, it was said after the
meeting that the delegations present
were favorable to the idea and tina; il
likely would be adopted.
Horizon Clears.
The air was cleared considerably it
was said, by the discussion of the
submarien question which took place
today.
When the committee meets again
at 3 o'clock this afternoon it is ex-
pected that it will take up the pro-
posal to limit the tonnage of air
craft carriers.
1t is understood that during the
submarine discussion there was talk
of an article that appe ared in
French maritime publication which
showed how the Submarines could be
used 70 destroy Great Britain-s COM
merce in the event OF war 1t is
understood that the French delega-
tion today denied that this article
expressed the point OF View of the
French government
Would BE Guilty Of Piracy.
Another proposal by SIR. Root with
regard to submarines. also pending.
is that the s;gnatory powers. desiring
TO insure the enforcement of humane
rules regarding the use of SUBJ
marines, further declare that any
person i'll the service OF any of the
powers adopting the proposed rules
shall be deemed to have Violated The
laws OF war. and shall be liable to
trial and Punishment s if for an act
of piracy. and may be brought to
trial before the civil or military
authorities Of any such power within
tie jurisdiction of which he may be
idund. if he shall violate the rules.
Nom British sources it was
1earEcd that if the submarine ques-
ion! had to be referred to home
governments by any of the delega-
lions the Root rules might be tenn
porarily laid aside and the question
of aircraft carriers taken up.
In this event, it was said, ratio of
aircraft carrier tonnage would be pro-
posed as follows: 5-5-3-2-2 for the
United States, Great Britain. Japan,
France and Italy. respectively. The
tonnage proposed by the United States
$4,000 tons, and the same for Great
Britain.
Limit Size of Carriers.
The Limitation of the size of aircraft
carriers to $4,000 tons or $1,000 tons
also would be discussed in this con-
nection, it was said.
Because of the necessity of arriving
at decisions in the matter of rules
governing submarines. the tonnage of
aircraft carriers and of auxiliary
craft generally. it was said today, no
plenary session probably would be
held by the conference for several
days.
1t has now been made clear that
talk of calling a new conference of
the powers almost Immediately to go
further into the question of the limi-
tation of the submarine ard other
auxiliary tonnage has been prema-
ture, to say the least.
A spokesman for the American dele
cation now declares that in view of
the attitude of some of the powers at
tending the conference, and it is we'll
understood that France particularly
is in mind. it would be futile to call a