The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-24
SAY ONLY GAME
British Papers Divided on Fight
Against Subs.
Fear Use of Underseas Boats by
Unbound Nations.
EVEN SUSPICIOUS OF FRANCE
Eventual Aid of Americans at
Farley Is Expected.
Jap Ship Makers Assured of
Another Years Work.

London, Dec. "a Cby the A. P.)-
Presentation to the washington con-
ference of Great Britain's plea for
abolition of the submarine as a naval
weapon has aroused the greatest in
terest here.
The newspapers comment at length
upon the speech of Lord Lee of Far
ham, first lord of the British ad-
miralty, before the conference on
Thursday in which he made the pro-
posal. General opinion here undoubt-
eddy favors abolition and there are
many regrets that there seems to be
no prospect of its being brought about
but on the other hand there is some
skepticism regarding the possibility of
preventing the use of submersibles
even if the conference adopted LORD
Lees proposal
Fear Unbound Nations.
Voicing this. doubt, the Morning
Post discIaims the suggestions that
the powers represented at Washing
ton would break their pledge to abo1-
ish naval Undersea craft if they gave
it, but points out that there are
other nations not represented in the
conference; moreover in the stress of
hostilities of war rules and restric-
tons for the government and conduct
of war are oVArruled by necessity, and
we may regret the refusal of the pres
ent conference to agree to abolition
the less because no such prohibition
could be effected"
The newspaper argues that the de-
veIopments at Washington point to the
necessity of Great Britain maintain
ing an adequate force of cruisers and
small craft for the protection of her
commerce against submarines. The
Daily Mail declares that the liberation
of submarine warfare will compel
powers dependent upon their sea COM
for sustenance to arm
their merchantmen with unhappy and
und esirable consequences.
Diplomatic Game Is On.
The Times, which thinks Lord Lees
arguments are unanswerable from the
British point Of view, deprecates at
taching excessive importance to any
defeat of the British proposal, and
adds: we must face the facts as
they are
The Westminster Gazette is sus-
picious of France, and says her atti+
tude regarding the proportion in
which submarines are to be retained
defends largely upon her success or
in assisting her claims on
German reparations
"A high diplomatic game is being
played in crisis cross between London,
Paris and Washington" says the
Gazette. THE Americans doubtless
are aware of this. and we may not in
the end find ourselves quite so isolated
on this subject as it appears at pres
emit"
Jap Ship Workers Assured.
Toxic, Dec. "a. Cby the A. P.)-All
the shipyard laborers in Japan are as
sured continued employment for at
least a year in completing the ten light
cruisers and twenty-four destroyers
now building or projected. This as
surance comes from Vice Admiral
Keisuke Okada, chief of the depart
ment of naval equipment. AS a result
of the understanding reached at WASH
ington, work has been suspended on
four battIeships and four battle
cruisers.
Assuming that the Japanese govern
ment will be allowed to proceed with
the building of the auxiliary craft, Vice
Admiral Okada recommends such al
location of the workmen as to preserve
the efficiency of all dockyards possible.