The New York herald., 1921-11-23
BRAND IS OPPOSED
TOSUBMARINELIMIT
We Must Go Through Our
1912 Programme Is Pre-
mier's Declaration.
NECESSARY FOR DEFENCE
France and Italy Also Involved
in Question Of Relative
Naval Strength.
By RALPH COURTNEY.

By RALPH COURTNEY.
Special Despatch to THE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., Nov. :e.
France and Italy are hesitating to
commit themselves on a naval pro-
gramme. In conversation with THE
New York HERALD this evening the
French Premier made it clear that the
whole matter Of Frances naval arma-
ments must be submitted to the
French Parliament.
Italy is understood to be in agree
ment with France that nothing should
be settled at present regarding the
naval tonnage to be allotted to France
and Italy. NJ. BRAND denied the re-
port that France had made a demand
for feet Of capital ships equal to
that of Japan and for as many sub
marines as England.
Great battleships have no interest
for u.s." said the French Premier,
what we want are submarines and
light swift cruisers for coast defence" /"
| France has seven capital ships and
purposes to add one more in order to
! complete squadron. The rest Of her
energies will be devoted to the lighter
form Of craft.
I'VE must go through with our 1912
programme. interrupted by the war"
This statement by NJ. BRAND shows
he has no intention of stopping ship con-
struction during the coming years. The
912 programme, however. Is understood
to be for swift light cruisers and not
dreadnoughts such as the other coun-
tries have decided to scrap.
May Have Serious Effect
Nevertne.sss tie attitude OF France
and Italy may have serious effect in
the carrying out OF the Hughes naval
Limitation programme. II France and
Italy decide to increase their naval
strength at the moment when England
Is diminishing hers tho present relative
position OF European navies will be ma
terially altered.
France strongly opposes the linita- :
tion of submarine tonnage now pro-
posed by England and is thereby caus-
ing England to think seriously about
the future
Besios-s the difference or opinion be-
tween England and France on the sub
ject of Submarines. there is also the
problem Of the relative naval strength OF
France and Italy to be settled. II is au-
thoritatively stated that Italy wants TO
be as strong as any other naval Power
N the Mediterranean and. therefore,
wishes to equal France in any allotment
Of tonnage. On the submarine question.
however. and in not wishing to build
capital ships. Italy and France are in
accord.
NJ BRAND points out that the subma-
rine question has already been discussed
at The Hague. at Paris and in Geneva.
and on each occasion the French conten-
ton was upheld that the submarine could
not be subjected to regulations.
France has glorious naval tradi-
tor" said NJ. BRAND. "and she cannot
abandon the position She always has as
sumed and the contentious which always
have been upheld a. previous interna-
tional conferences. Submarines are not
a costly form of defence and, therefore
they are specially suitable to the weaker
naval nations.
Scandinavia Factor.
Another reason why the present con-
ference cannot come to a conclusion
about submarine restrictions is the fact
that neutral countries for whom this
question is OF greatest Importance are
not represented. -Four OF these are
Norway. Sweden, Denmark and Holland.
How could we tie our hands in the mat
ter of submarine construction while these
countries are left free? There is also
Germany. Although Germany might not
construct submarines herself she could
have them built quickly for her in the
naval yards OF other countries such as
Norway. Sweden, Denmark and Hol-
land"
When the French Premier returns 20
France TO face Parliament on the subject
Of naval disarmament he VIII leave
French naval experts I'm Washington 10
act on instructions from Paris. II the
Fronch stand firmly on their present
ground and Italy follows the French
lead. America, England and Japan may
scrap their big capital ships but naval
competition OF the most intense kind will
be resumed on smaller types OF vessels
and submarine cruisers.
Although the French naval experts
will he left in Washington when the
Premier goes, the military mission, in
Guiding the French chief OF staff. Gen.
Bust. will return 10 France Only tech
nical experts who might be called upon
to discuss aviation or poison gas may
remain. VI. BRAND expects n rcsolu-
ton on the limitation OF land arma-
ments which will state the reduction OF
lDnd forces to be desirable, but which
will present no definite plan for carry
ing this out at present.