Evening star., 1921-12-29

| inches"
Mr.. Hanihara said: 'I desire to be
permitted to say just few words in
order to avoid possible misunder-
standing as to Japan's attitude with
regard to the question OF naval limi-
tation.
we believe that by the agreement
that has been reached at this confer
,nce as to the ratio of capital ships
It great step forward has been made
toward the attainment of the high
lin of the conference, thereby reliev-
ing the powers concerned of the heavy
burden of costly armament. At the
same time We think it a misfortune
if we fail to come to All agreement as
regards the limitation of auxiliary
comba. .ant craft. Our position is not
to claim freedom for building auxili-
airy comhatant craft, but to support
in the main the tonnage provided in
| this respect in the original American
proposal of November 12 in order that
an agreement may be reached as be-
tween the powers concerned on this
, basis and that full and final success
of the conference may thus be as
sured"
Statements Defended.
Mr. Sarraut said: ''rhe decisions of
the French government which 1 have
had the honor OF imparting to the
Is
certain observations which l cannot
allow to go unanswered. If this re-
| ply was not immediate, this was be-
cause ! wished first to hear the re-
| marks of each delegation regarding
my statement.
ITO tell the truth. gentlemen. am
not here to make comment on the
orders of my government which
possess an authority and a value
which suffice in themselves; the
F; decisions which l have just communi-
Gated to you have been carefully con-
! sidered by the highest authorities
representing national sovereignty in
| my country. | have received them
i respectfully from their hands and
| have brought them just as they stand
F. to the conference.
'lt is my duty. however, and per-
form this duty in the perfectly
| friendly spirit which has never
ceased to animate the French delega-
| tion to take up the allegations which
/ have just been made, certain ones of
which 1 find wholly unacceptable.
| Certain delegations, while testify
France accept the reduced proportion
of capital ships which has been de-
| termined for her, have expressed
real disappointment on learning that
| the French government was unable to
| make similar sacrifices as regards
4
| say that this disappointment, if it
really exists, will call forth similar
! feeling in my own country when it is
| learned there how the amount of ton
mage allotted to France has been
lauthoritatively determined without
needs and of the absolute necessities
+, of her defense for the security and
! safeguarding of which no country is
justified in trusting to the good offices
| of its neighbors.
| 'It is this idea, this conception of
the true needs and interests of France
| and of her colonies which has inspired
| the decisions of the French govern
ment: it is this idea which is both
the measure and the limit OF their
demand. and it is in no way infiu-
enced by any comparison with what
! our neighbors are doing or by any
anxiety to measure our naval force
against theirs.
Difference In Opinion.
Herein lies the profound difference
between our points of view and those
of others. We have not apportioned
our needs and our demands by care
fully examining the consequences TO
the French navy of the increase of
the naval power of certain neighbor-
ing countries with whom we cherish.
under the happiest of conditions, re-
lations OF friendship, cooperation and
alliance. We are not guarded by any
fear Of what their strength may be.
precisely because they are friends.
Great Britain. with her $4,000 tons
of capital ships. will possess feet
of great vessels stronger than the
corresponding fleets of France and
Italy put together.
$50 be IT: we ourelves do not take
offense. We are not the least in the
world haunted by this eventuality. no
more than We are apprehensive of the
fact that the fleets of the other friend
ly nations. the United States and
Japan. will be considerably increased
in comparison with our fleet.
why then. they say. is a subma-
rine fleet such as is demanded by
! France a necessity for her: Do we
quibble over the nee .; of the others?
Do we call into question their pos
| sible intentions? Do we suspect
them? Assuredly we shall not do so.
It is not only the right but the duty
of each country to assure it's safety
! by It's own means. and it is perfectly
| possible to consider this problem
without being haunted by the idea of
! a possible aggression on the part of
. neighbor. That others should ap-
ply to us such a method of reasoning.
/! while we do not think of applying it
| to them, we cannot permit in any
way. This would be still more pain
full to us, would appear to US more
especially inadmissible at this table
| around which we are gathered in a
spirit of the most cordial co-opera-
ton and at the very moment when.
in bringing the answer Of France in
. the matter of capital ships. we are
| furnishing the most positive proof of
the effective participation Of our
country in the success of the great
ideals of peace aimed at by this con-
ference.
Coast to Be Defended.
'If our answer Is not the same as
Tor the capital ships in regard to the
other categories OF vessels. it Is be-
| cause the tonnages which we have
indicated correspond to material
| needs OF defense, to necessities of
protection which must no longer be
| denied. for we shall not cease to af-
| firm them strongly. We have no de-
sire to destroy merchant vessels, as
| Mr.. Balfour has said: we have for
! this declaration was echoed not later
| than yesterday in the debates which
| took place in the French senate.
| But France has coast lines which she
| must defend; she has also, and above
all. great colonial domain. second
| Britain, which is distributed over all
| the seas, and concerning which we
also may have, l presume, our anx-
iety as to its defense, it's police and
| its surveillance.
1--WE have the duty of safeguarding
the communications of these colonies
with the mother country and have
already said here that in case of war
the safety of transportation of our
troops overseas to the mother coun-
obligations. This is not mere
theory. Have we not in the last war
seen a belligerent transform mer-
chant ships into auxiliary cruisers or