The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-31
VAR TALK
IN PEACE
CONFERENCE
France and England
Have Reached the
Stage of Making
Covert T h r e a t S
Against Each Other

FTe0cQ ana BrltlSn arms confer
ence delegates into a plain spoken
exchange over the possibilities Of
future war between France and the
British empire.
The French, acting under renew
ed instructions from their govern
menf, told the conference naval
committee with an air Of fnality
that France must remain free to
build submarine flotilla nearly
three times as great as that she
now possesses and to construct, in
addition, cruisers, destroyers and
other auxiliary craft up to a ton
mage of $50, 900.
TO the proposal the Americans.
Japanese and Italians replied with
expressions of surprise and regret.
while the British charged openly
that such anbuilding program must
be regarded as menace to British
shores. Arthur ]. Balfour added
that he had no doubt, if occasion
arose, Great Britain would be equal
1t, but only if she reserved COM
plete freedom of action as to the
construction Of ali types Of auxil-
iaries which might be useful against
underwater warfare.
Agreeing that further argument
would be useless, the committee
turaed its attention to collateral
subjects, including regulations for
future use of submarines, proposals
! for Hmitation Of the size and ar
1nament OF individual auxiliary YES
seas, and details Of the agreement
already sealed in principle regard
ing capitaI ships.
For the American delegation
EHhu Root proposed joint decia-
ration reafirning the obligation Of
submarine commanders to warn
merchant ships before attack, to re-
frain from sinki lg vessels whose
crews and passengers could not first
bl placed in safety, and to conform
in general to all the established
practices OF international law. In
addition. Mr. Root also suggested a
change In existing usage to pro-
hibit attacks on merchant vessels
altogether and to make submarine
commanders who violate the regu-
lation liable to trial as pirates.
General sympathy for the pur-
poses of these proposals was ex-
pressed by the representatives of
all the powers, brt definite action
was deferred. Should an agreement
be reached, II. is to be submitted
30 all civilized nations with an in
yitation for worldwide adherence.
Under further proposal present.
ed by the American delegation and
given general but not final approval
by the other plenipotentiaries, no
auxiliary vessel Of more than 10,-
600 tons cpaid be constructed by
any of the powers, and no airplane
carrier could have a tonnage Of
more than 2T.o0o tons. A maximum
arplane carrier tonnage of $4,000
for the United States, $4,000 for
Great Britain, $4,000 for Japan,
ga. 900 for France and $4,000 for
Italy ass was suggested by the
Americans and viii be further dis
cussed tonnorrow.
The net result of the days de-
iibera.ions, so far as actual prog
ress is concerned, was an agree
tnent that in future no gun Of more
than 56-ineh caliber shall be
mounted on a capital ship and
none OF more. than S-inch calber
shah be inciaded in the armament
OF any auxiliary vessel Or airplane
carrier.
Along with their demand for
increased submarine and auxiliary
tonnage the French delegation pre-
sented to the committee in definite
form, but with reservation It
tached, their acceptance Of the cap
ital ship ratio under which France
is tC have a frst-hne battleship
fleet Of 1860 tons. The reserva-
ton provides that the French be
permitted TO break in on the ten
year naval holiday so as to begin
construction OF replacement ton
mage in 1927. four years before the
holiday ends.
In most quarters this exception
was not regarded as likely to en-
danger in any way the capital ship
agreement, but it was characteriz-
ed by Mr.. Balfour in the commit
tee session as serious interfer-
ence with the holiday plan. The
proposal is under consideration by
the naval experts Of the. other pow
ers. and an effort to reach a de-
cision regarding it probably will be
made in the near future.
Albert Sarraut, head of the
French delegation. presented the
submarine and auxiliary estimates
of his government to the commit
tee in a speech declaring that the
figures suggested were minimum
required for national defense. He
Emphasized that highest F r n h
naval authorities as well as the
French cabinet had made def
mite decision on the point and in
dicated that further attempts to
secure recession would be futile.
Under these estimates, France
would have submarine tonnage
Of 10000, as against $1,000 which
she now possesses and which it
was proposed that she retain un-
changed under the status quo plan
OF the American compromise. The
United States has only $4,000 tons
and Great Britain $4,000 tons. and
each had offered under the COM