Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-17
Demands For Greater Sea
Force Resisted by Z. S.,
Britain, Japan and Italy
INFORMAL WARNING
French Delegation Informed Insist
ence on Their Program Will ke-
suit in Breaking Down Conference.

Washington. Dec l7.-French naval
ambitions. which. if realized, would
give her the most modern fleet. II not
actually the most powerful IN the
world, are being resisted by all her
associates in the Washington Confer
ence and the French delegation Is be-
ing warned that if France insists on
the building program contided TO the
naval armament committee yeStef''
day she will inevitably break down
the broad purposes of the Conference.
Means have been found during the
last 81 hours of acqualntlng the
French delegation with the firm oppo-
sition of the American Government TO
the proposal that France be authorlz-
ed to disregard the naval holiday and
to build 10 $4,000 ton battleships of
post Jutland design during the coming
10 years.
The British have unequivocally join
ed the Americans in this opposition.
The Japanese, while saying little, have
let it be understood that they unite
with the other two powers, and the
Italians, against whom the French
plan would work most seriously, are
reported today to be irreconclIably
opposed to the French suggestion.
1t was definitely stated in official
circles today that the American and
British delegations stood together up
on the proposition that the French
ratio should be 1.75 and have so in
formed the French group. The same
ratio, it is added, would be applied
to the Italians, the latter being pre-
pared to assent to that formula pro-
vided the French go along.
This would fix the ratio for the FIVE
powers at 5-5-3-1.75~l.75 for America,
Great Britain, Japan, France and Italy
respectively. ratio, it is understood
which viii! be pressed firmly today
when the Committee of Fifteen recon-
venes. That meeting, it is suspected,
will indicate very conclusively whether
the French are prepared to accept the
naval limitation program laid down
or whether they are willing to as
sumo responsibility before the world
of wrecking the hopes of the Con-
ference.
1t was realized here last night that
a crisis will be reached today, and un-
til it is safely passed the fate of the
Conference cannot be known. The feel
ing prevails that on a showdown the
French will not insist upon their de-
mands. but that they will seek a sat
isfactory compromise.
The compromise which they are ex-
pected to offer involves the privilege
of constructing formidable subma-
rine fleet for defensive purposes"
This likewise will be opposed by the
British, as was indicated by their
attitude when the French delegation
three weeks ago let it be known that
they regarded submarines as all I'M
portant to their national security.
Spokcsmcn Of the British delega-
tion made no effort today to conceal
their apprehension over the French
proposals. From the outset of the Con-
ference the British have been distrust-
full of the French purposes. Many Of
the BritlShcrS have believed that it
was mistake 10 have deferred con-
sidcration of the French and Italian
naval ratios until a threc-power
agreement had been reached. They
have felt that a safer plan would have
been for Secretary Hughes to lay
down in the beginning limitation
formula for all hands and to have adj
hercd to it unwaveringly.
However, that was not done. The
first consideration of Mr.. Hughes was
three-party naval limitation agree
mcnt, his conviction being that once
this was arrived ut it would be a
comparatively simple matter to bring
the French and the Italians into the
equation. It now develops that the
French have evolved plans Of their
own, violently contrary to the views
of the Americans and the British, and
the problem now is to reconcile that
! plan with the broad policy of the
( Conference