The New York herald., 1921-12-24
NEW CONFERENCE
MEETS APPROVAL
Continued from First Page.

serious competition from other coun-
tries. But submarines present another
problem and it will be necessary to
secure general adherence to the agree
ments as to limitation of submarines
and to the rules adopted for their opera
tion.
No date has been suggested for the
newer and larger conference visualized
by this newest suggestion, but there
have been intimations from some OF the
delegations. not American. that It might
be called as early as next April. and also
that it might take up the question Of
land aruiaments.
Enect OF New inventions.
stin another reason which compcls a
further conference OF the nations Is
recognition Of what science and inven-
ton may do within a comparatively
short time In revoiutionizing naval war
fare. Inventive genius. It is recognized
may render the present day ships obso-
lete and further agreements may be
necessary to limit the new ornaments
that may take the place of the present
day vessels OF sea warfare.
This glance into the possibilities OF
the future suggests the necessity or con-
tinuinr conferences---a working out OF
President Harding's gospel OF UNDER
standing.
The enunciation Of rules OF interna-
tional law. and the keeping OF agree
rncnts reached, suggests the further iaea
OF a world court OF such high standing
that its decisions will carry weight ana
possess worldwide influence.
That Great Britain intends to con-
tinue indefinitely her pleas for the
abandonment OF the submarine until
world opinion demands thai this course
be taken was made clear by the spokes-
men of the British delegation VINO talked
with newspaper correspondents to-day-
Apnarently the British have little or no
hone that this conference will abolish
the submarine, but IL any form OF iiini-
tation Of numbers or size or submarines
or any declaration Of the limitations OIL
their usage are agreed to. the BRUSH
will consider that a victory from their
,no,nt ~ view and q step in the right
direction. 40
One OF the points stressed by the
Pritish to-day was that IL the submarine
Is TO continue in use, each maritime ma
ton must have free hand in the de-
yelopment OF anti submarine detenses
which In their opinion would be so heavy
a burden on the taxpayers that 1t would
more than offset the money saved by
the reduction of the capital ships.
Summary of British Views.
The British feel that Lord Lees
spcech of Wednesday before the COM
mlttee and Mr.. Balfour's speech to-day
were both helpful in laying before the
world their thought ON the submarine
matter. Lord Lee win follow with an
other speech at the n ext plenary session,
when he will elaborate on his tirs'
speech and drive home the British
| arguments against suomersible craft
Summed up. the British arguments are
as follows:
seas and should be abolished for, the
sake of decency
II is useful only when it's uses are
abused, since il is practically worth
| less save for the destruction or un-
| armored craft.
AS a weapon of offense or defense
agninst armored warships 1t is fall
ure. AS a coast defense 1t Is over
rated, since most attacks are made
by battleship fleets amply protected
against the submarines.
That if the submarine continues In
use as a naval weapon tremendous
expenditures will have to be made
by maritime nations In anti-subma-
rine craft to meet It.
III this follows, the Washington
Conference on the Limitation OF
Naval Armament will not have served
It's purpose.
The italian view OF the submarine
question as outlined by an officla
spokesman to-day follows:
Our naval experts are OF the opinion
that submarines are necessary in the
defense OF n coast, whether or not 1t
i may be useful In guarding the sea
lanes. Belligerents think twice be-
fore sending ships out against a coast
which Is defended by submarines.
! For Railroad Defense.
The two most important Italian
railroads are right along the coast
and a bombardment Of til m from the
sea might interrupt our land commu-
nications. We have only one railway
crossing the Appenines and out of
reach OF q possible naval lombard
ment. The others are all open TO
bombardment from the sea. and our
naval experts think that submarines
are best for dealing with such situ-
alton.
The submarine Is useful for laying
mines and for watching the move
ments Of an enemy fleet without be-
ing 0etcCteu, anu thcot HuNaheaecS
are obviously SO great that we can
not forego them.
Italy has 10000 tons OF submarines.
but that Is not a large force: rather
n minimum. There Ia a minimum OF
necessities Of defense. just as there
may be minimum Of necessities OF
living. which In not susceptible OF
bargaining and which cannot be re-
duced. The allotment of capital ship
tonnage to ItaIy---f75,0o0 tons--car-
ries a proportionate submarine tom
mage, which Is $4,000. We could
agree roughly with 175,000 tons Of
capital ships and our proportionate
submarine tonnage. II France had
accepted Mr.. Hughes's tonnage ratios
no difficulty would have come from
Italy.
Submarine rules ought TO be estab-
lished and become q part OF interna-
tional law. IL all the world should
agree TO them. including the nations
not represented here. we believe they
would he observed The Italian fleet
would observe them. We want sub
marines for defense and not for OF
fcnse.