New-York tribune., 1921-12-27
Senate Naval Committee
Insists on Addition to
Submarine Tonnage to
Guard Colonial Empire
Sentiment Against
ConcessionSpreads
Premier's Fall Forecast if
Ministry Acquiesces in
Hughes's Compromise
By Wilbur Forrest
Soecjoy (.ohr, IN rh. rxiA,,..

'opyIlSNt, l"-l, New YORK tribune Inc.
PARIS, Dec. 26.-All hope of France
acceding to Chairman Hughes's appeal
for q compromise on the submarine
question seemed very remote to-day
and it was difficult to find any tendency
toward yielding in either political or
technical terms. There arc many rea-
sons for believing that the sentiment
found in the Ministry of Marine,
which is summed UP in the belief
that minimum Of 10000 tons of sub
marines is vital for France, will pre-
vail at to-morrow's Cabinet meeting
and that there can be no compromise
on this. The decision of the govern
ment will be communicated to Wash
ington Immediately.
Among the officials consulted here
to-day was NJ. Guisthau, Minister of
Marinc, who may be termed Utmost an
irreconcilable OH the question of the
French demands The Tribune cor
respondent interviewed Premier BRAND
in London a few days ago and ne also
disclosed that Albert Sarraut and Ad-
miral De Bon, French delegates at
Washington, had received final instruc-
tions from Europe to negotiate broadly
with Washington with Frances vital
need of light war craft in the fore
front.
Must Hold African Line
To Brands explanation that France
considers Russo-German navai COM
binaton as still an unknown quantity.
as we'll as viewing the unstabiized
situation in the Mediterranean with
uneasiness, may now De added the view
of naval officials that France must as
sure constant communication with her
African colonies, which. in the event
of an emergency, can form veritable
reservoir Of troops not only so far as
Morocco and Algeria are concerned, but
even Senegal, the Congo and MAZDA
gascar.
Thus the submarines at Washington
link up with the same perturbation ex-
pressed in Brands speech of Novem-
ber 21 in which he declared that France
must be sure Of her military safety.
Developments in the French Senate
to day, interspersed in discussion of
the budget, bring out the French ideas
on the submarine issue in the clearest
relief. The Senate Naval Committee
unanimously adopted resolution, Of
fcred by Senator Lemary, demanding
try's submarine tonnage and declaring
that "Our naval weakness, the state
Of our finances and our love for peace
must al receive common consideration
in our policy of defense along with
keeping free the communications with
our colonial empire
"The submarine" Senator Lemary
added, "is the best weapon for such
policy, because it is solely defensive
weapon. 1t is d threat against none,
but is desired only to protect the in
dependence of our colonies. We can
not imagine that the revindication OF
France could be objected to or limited.
1t is a question of legitimate defense"
Navy for Offense Renounced
The Senate also cheered NJ. Kergue-
zee. a Breton Senator, when he rose
to oratorical heights, saying: They
must know in Washington the deep
emotion produced in France by the
declarations of the Washington con-
ference. We renounce every thought
of an offensive navy, but must feel
assured of our defenses. We must be
assured that we can defend ourselves
without the help or any foreign couh-
try, and the submarine gives US that
security
From the political point of view, the
sentiment developing here since Secre-
tary Hughes made his compromise pro-
posal confirms the political position OF
Premier BRAND, who, students of poll
tics are convinced. would not be able
to maintain his Cabinet even in the
face of the coming Supreme Council
meeting at Cannes if he consented to
any radical concession in the matter
Of submarines. Public opinion. re-
flected in Parliament and the press, is
against this.
PARIS, Dec 26 (By The Associated
Press ).-Serious consideration is be-
ing given in French official circles to
a proposal that the whole submarine
problem be taken up at another meet
ing of the powers at some later date.