Evening star., 1921-12-29
Delegates Tackle Task of
Limiting Something Be-
sides Capital SHIPS.
PROSPECT OF NEW CALL
BY PRESIDENT GROWING
Secretary Hughes Closeted With
Mr.. Harding Hour-Hope Ma
tons Views May Alter.
BY the Associated Press

by tHe ASSoclaIeu fteSS.
Its horizon beclouded with many
elements of uncertainty. the arms
conference today entered phase of
it's negotiations which will determine
whether it is to be successful in i'm
posing limitations on any class Of
warcraft except capital ships.
The immediate proposal before the
naval committee when it resumed
its session was a plan of the Ameri-
can government to limit the tonnage
of airplane carriers to be maintained
in the future navies Of the powers
1t is on this proposition and on pro-
posals to restrict the use OF sub
marines and the size of individual
warships of the auxiliary classes that
the American delegation now pins
its hope of amplifying the capital ship
agreement already reached, but to
which France yesterday attached q
reservation as to replacements.
Roots Proposals Center.
Much attention centered about the
proposals of Elihu Root of the Ameri-
can delegation for limiting submarine
operations. although it was indicated
that no agreement on that feature was
in sight. The delegations will have
indicated that they desire further in
structions from their government, on
the point. especially in view of Mr..
Roots suggestion that use OF under
water craft against merchant vessels
be prohibited entirely. and that sub
marine commanders who violate hu-
name rules of warfare be llaDle TO
trial as pirates.
1t was privately conceded in all
quarters that the negotiations on re-
manning issues of the conference had
not been made easier by yesterdays
pointed exchanges In the committee
session, which heard Frances final re-
fusai to lay aside her submarine pro-
gram The opeH declarations Of Ar
thur J. Balfour of the British group
and Albert Sarraut of the French re-
sarding future Anglo-French rela-
tions, were talked of as forming an
tory and as bringing to the surface
of the conference at last the en-
barrassments that have complicated
relations between London and Paris
ever since the armistice.
Early Plennry Session Expected.
The British desire to present fur
was indicated in British quarters to-
day that a plenary session of the con-
ference might be held within the next
three or four days to go over again
delicate ground covered yesterday in
the committee.
The new angle taken by the uego-
tiations was described to President
Harding today by Secretary Hughes.
who went to the White House before
the naval committee met and was
closeted for nearly an hour with the
chief executive. The trend of their
discussion was not revealed, but there
were indications that Mr.. Harding
was seeking some means of at least
bringing the powers together at a
later conference. when present strains
on international relations may have
been removed.
Some the the delegates are taking
the position, on the other hand. that
no such meeting would be practicable
until there appeared unmistakable
evidence of a. change of view among
the disagreeing powers. 1t was in
dicated today that in the American
group there was a feeling that there
would be nothing to discuss in any
naval conference in the near future
unless the Root resolutions regarding
submarines are adopted and the ad-
herence OF the smaller nations to
them is invited.
Hold Proposals Important.
The purpose of the suggested plen-
I ary session would be primarily to
afford an opportunity for full state
ment of the British view in regard
| to submarines and auxiliary craft. but
| it is expected that the Root resolu-
tons might also be considered.
The American delegates attach a
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