Albuquerque morning journal., 1921-12-29
IMPOSSIBLE To
CURB AUXILIARY
NAVAL VESSELS
Efforts to Agree on Tonnage
Are Abandoned After
Frances Claims Are Laid
Before Committee.

,By The Associated PressD
Washington, Dec. 2S (by the AS
sociated Press. efforts to agree
on limitation of submarine anG
auxiliary ship tonnage were aban'
doned today by the arms confer
ence naval committee after ma
val program fixing French limits
at 10000 tons in submersibles and
$4,000 tons in auxiliary vessels
had been announced to the nava,
committee for France by M. Sar-
raut, heading the French delega.
ton.
Program Menace.
IT was followed by expressions OF
disappointment for the American
Italian and Japanese delegations
that no agreement was possible,
and by warning for the British
group by Arthur J. Balfour, that
Great Britain must regard the
French submarine program as "a
very great menace" to British Sc
curity. For the Italian group,
Senator Schanzer also spoke of the
serious pre-occupations" of Italy,
because of the economic sacri-
fices' and the political conse-
quences," the French naval pro-
gram might produce"
M. Sarraut replied sharply ito
allegations just made, certain of
which find wholly unacceptable" "
French naval estimates were based
on conception "of the true needs
and interests of France and her
colonies" he said and were not in
fluenced "by any comparison with
what our neighbors are doing or
by anxiety to measure our naval
forces against theirs"
Herein" he continued, '1ies
the profound difference between
our points of view and those OF
others,
No Menace Involved.
1--WE object to having it believed
or TO having it said, that the crea-
tion by France of defensive
weapon involving certain tom
mage of submarines should be con-
sidered as a menace to any of her
friends"
Mr.. Balfour declared that while
it was, "unthinkable" that any
but friendship should prevail be-
tween Great Britain and France,
history recalled that they had been
in conflict in the distant past
Britain always had possessed su-
perior naval armament and in
ferior land forces to France, he
said, adding:
Never in the history of France
has she had to fear the power of
Great Britain to strike blow at
her heart. No inferior military
power has ever yet been able to
invade or seriously imperil a su-
perior military power merely be-
cause she had more ships.
suppose the almost inconceiva-
BILE happened and close allies be-
came enemies, it is perfectly clear
that in that case no British supe-
riority of capital ships would i'm
peril the life of France for an
hour.
Position of France.
"Now compare the position of
France in the face of a superior
British surface fleet with the posi-
ton of Britain in the face of
France with the largest submarine
fleet. She could use that fleeet IL
thpOpp Iol NOllllItIIt
and 1t is difficult to believe that
in time Of stress she would mot so |
use. If Britain were uharmed |
against submarines, it was evident |
that France, using that felonious
weapon, could destroy her very ex-
istence."
Mr.. Balfour said M. Sarraut had
talked of the absolute necessity for
France of possessing a fleet of
10000 tons of submarines.
For what purpose?" he contin-
ued.
mot to cooperate with fleet
of 175,000 tons of capital ships. It
is out of proportion. What did he
want the 10000 tons of submarines
for?"
Subs a Powerful Weapon.
Submarines were a powerful
weapon for one purpose only, the
destruction of commerce, he said,
and added:
1T is not unreasonable that !
Great Britain, when threatened by
within few miles I.
of her coast of a vast fleet of sub
marines which were of no use eY-
'ept to destroy commerce to say
she could not look with !.
Indifference on the situation tha.
would be created"
That ended discussion of the !,
ubmarine question, and the COM g
nittee passed to consideration of :,
he proposal of Secretary Hughes =
hat naval vessels other than capt. n
al ships or aircraft carriers be =
United to 10000 tons displacement !,
nd to eight-inch. guns as their 8
eaviest armament. Before the "
ommittee adjourned, agreement +,
Tas expressed with a proposal +,
rowing out of this to limit capital n