The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-12-16
British Delegates Say If
France and Italy Are
To Have AS Large Ma
vies AS They Desire,
England Must Hold Out
For More Warships-
Submarine Contest Is
Started

washington, Dec. lb.-(By inc AS
sociated Press. 1.-The French dele
CATION has presented proposal for
50 great an increase in the strength
Of the French navy that the British
declared such a program, if carried
cut, would upset the whole plan for !;
j-5-3 naval ration reduction.
Although not entirely revealed, the
British understand the French plan
provides for the construction of ten
$4,000 super dreadnoughts in the 10
years subsequent to 1925. These YES
sells, of type similar to the American
Eattleship Maryland, would give
France capital ship tonnage of $50,
900 all against 315,O00 for Japan and
a preponderance of new Port Jut-
land type craft over all nations.
Italy, although indicating disappro-
val of such building program, is
said TO have told the arms conference
that if France constructs ten such
ships she must carry out similar
building program.
The combined French and Italian
fleets thus would be some 200, 900 tons
stronger than the British or American
tonnage under the revised figures
agreed upon yesterday by the big
three.
Final Agreement
Washington, Dec. 16-(By the AS
sociated Press. Announcement OF a
final agreement between the United
States, Great Britain and Japan upon
the American "5-5-3" naval ratio, left
the question of the capital ship ton
70
the outstanding matter to be deter
mined by the new naval committee OF
fifteen as it resumed today its task
of whipping into final shape the pros
pective five-power naval limitation
agreement.
The French group were understood
to have begun presentation at the
committee session yesterday Of
Frances desire for a capital ship ton
mage equal to that of Japan under the
revised figures of the three power ra-
ito agreement, which is $4,000 tons.
This presentation was to be conclud-
ed before the committee today, but
there were limitations in both French
and Italian circles that long discus
sion might be necessary before COM
plete five-power agreement could be
presented for action by the confer
ence itself. =.
In the agreement on the "5-5-3" ra-
ito, as formally announced by the
committee late yesterday, the United
States and Great Britain acceded to
Japan in her desire to retain her lat
est battleship, the Mutsu. with pro-
portionate changes in the American
and British fleets.
Under the changes the United
States will retain the nearly complet-
ed battleships Colorado and Washing
ton in place of the North Dakota and
the Delaware, while Great Britain
will build two ships and scrap four
older ones when these are completed.
The increases in tonnage resulting
for all three powers adhere to the
original ratio of the Hughes proposal.
The agreement was reached on the
basis of status quo understanding as
to the fertilization of the Pacific is
lands.
With the far-eastern committee O
the whole still in adjournment nego.
tiations on that side of the program
still was confined today to a confer
ence between Japanese and Chinese
delegates on Shantung. The question
of financial settlement for restoration
of the Kiaochow railroad to Chinese
control still remained unsettled when
the two delegations resume nego
tiations.
Slayden Approves
Washington, Dec 16.-Former Rep.
.resentative Slaydon, Democrat, Texas
called today to congratulate Presi-
dent Harding on the wonderful sue
cess of the Washington conference
"as viewed by the people of the
South"
Mr.. Slayden said, as he left the
house, that in his travels through the
south. particularly in Virginia, hi
found the people pleased and con
tented with the accomplishments Of
the conference.
Aayvr O,nnuyn To MEET