The New York herald., 1921-11-17
ANGL0-SAXON BLOC
FEARED IN FRANCE
Cabinet Firm in Opposing
Army Reduction Without
Written Guarantees.


Special Gable to THE NEW York HERALD.
Copyright, 1921, by THE NEw York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Paris, Nov. 49,
There Is a vague feeling of uneasiness
in the French capital over developments
in Washington. This feeling was ac-
centuated to-day by a pessimistic note
in dispatches from some French special
correspondents there. who described
the British as having won a diplomatic
victory.
This has engendered fears In some
French minds of an Anglo-Saxon bloc.
which might be applied not only to the
disadvantage of the French army In
its present depleted state but to the
much more vital questions Of Frances
security on the Rhine and German
reparations. Whether these fears are
justified remains to be seen, but the
role the French delegation in Washing
ton has played thus far is not sufficient
to allay them.
Must Have Guarantees.
At council Of Ministers. with M. Mil
lerand presiding. 1t Is understood that
the talk was entirely of the Washington
conference. with the President of France
and his Ministers again expressing the
conviction that France could not consent
to any present army reduction in the alb
sence of positive and written guarantees.
and also that no status quo principle
could be applied to the French Navy II
Frances interests in the way Of naval
defence were to be properly protected.
From private and public comment here
the Washington developments have en-
gendered a twofold fear-first, that the
submarine principle will be so applied
to the French navy as to prevent France
from regaining her old relative position
or from having navy of any real pro-
tective ability, all French naval plans
being based largely on submarine de-
velopment in lieu of capital ships. which
she now totally lacks as the quickest
and cheapest means of giving her a de-
fensive arm of the size needed for her
coasts and her colonies. and, second.
that, inspired by Great Britain's accept
ance of the American plan. an Anglo
Saxon bloc may be formed in Washing
ton whose political weight may be
turned against France (a) to secure a
reduction Of her land forces with only
moral promise Of support, IL even that,
and (b) to bring about further revision
of the reparations agreement. with the
penalty of isolation for France IL she
rejects such proposals.
In the present state of French H.
nances, Frances only hope OF rehabili-
tating her naval defence arm has been
in cruiser submarines. which leading
French admirals have been insisting will
In the future more than equal the battle
ships. The remarks by Arthur ]. Bal
four. head of the British delegation in
Washington, yesterday were taken to
mean that this plan is now imperilled
by Great Britain.
Won't Give Up Army.
1--WE have no fleet to-day and Great
Britain now wishes to forbid us having
one" remarks the Information. I'VE
have an army and they wish that we
would give 1t up"
This is significant of the comment pro-
voked by the fact that it was Mr.. Bal
four who brought up the question OF
land armies yesterday.
The Journal des DebGts, while not
imputing exactly these motives to the
British, insists that Frances defence re-
QulreS q pOWer1uI Meet Oh SuDfldrines'
the proposed maximum of 10000 tons
being entirely insufficient for a country
like France, whose navy Is without bat
tleships and cruisers. Regarding Mr..
Balfour's proposal to forbid cruiser
submarines, the Journal des Debdts
points out that these are the only ships
really dangerous for capital ships, which
Is the reason why France should con-
struct them.
Premier BRAND did not deem the
time ripe to reply to Mr.. Balfour on
this point" It says. but let us hope
that the French delegation Will do so
without delay"
The Temps, clearly rejecting the off,
cial view here, lays down the thesis that
no such sacrifice can be demanded un-
less 1t carries with It guarantee OF
protection by all the other States IL any
one Of the contracting States Is assailed
unjustly.
when the Powers agree to limit
! arrnaments they oblge themselves
tacitly to go to the assistance of any
one of them in danger by Its limited
armaments." says the Temps, which in
sists that the same principle must be
applied to any limitation of land arrna-
ments.
"One thus returns by the route which
lays over the ruins Of all alliances TO
the fundamental idea that there can be
no limitation of armaments OF any kind
rnlesa between all the contracting
parties there Is solid obligation OF
| mutual succor," II declares.