The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-12-20
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Special Dispatch to The Reformcr.
Copyright 1921.

Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 30.-The first
crisis Of the arms conference has slowly
evaporated France is not blocking the
parley any longer but is gradually reveal
ing the Why and the wherefore of her re-
quest for an immense ship program. The
national pride Of the French naval ex-
perts who had been sighted while Great
Britain, Japan and the United States
have for weeks taken unto themselves the
regulation Of naval ratios. the desire of
the French for more submarines. and the
natural effort of French diplomacy to win
a more influential position in the repara-
tiOnS negotiations in London have all
been interviewer in the policy which
France has been pursuing here for several
days.
Those who have been taking the French
tactics seriously have lost Slepp need
lcsSly. Talk of imperilling the confer
ence itself has been heard in many quar-
ters where the French demand has been
like Il blanket of ice suddenly thrown over
an otherwise enthusiastic and happy
gathering. As the head of one of the dele
cations expressed it. things were going
too we'll" He called attention to the fact
that such rapid progress had been made
thus far that 1t was to good to be true
and something dramatic had TO happen"
He was one Of the delegates at Paris too.
and he recalled how the impulsiveness of
the French and the peculiar method of
negotiating had kept both the British and
American delegations on the anxious
seat day and night. Nobody knew what
NJ Clemenceau would do next. so no
body has known here what the French
delegation had up its sleeves.
Protest Against Second Rate.
the episode possesses a> an example of
continental diplomacy. the truth i the
French have not intended to GO SO far n
las 70 prevent an agreement on naval
questions. They have sought only to
show the world and Great Britain that
while If may be fact that French naval
strength is relatively small. there was no
reason to regard France az a second
power. The inclusion of France in the
four power pact was an effort to appea SO
French pride but the true explanation of
The French maReuvTe in thru~ting upon
the conference the last moment demand
for hiEsbattleshin program ssaaE be found
IN tho strained relations which formerly
have been noticeable between Great Brit
Gin and Franco. Prime Minister Lloyd
George and the British generally have
felt that French policy was mistaken I'm
negotiating a separate peace with the
Turks. France on the other hand felt
q menace to French economic interests.
The controversy hadn't proceeded very
far when Premier BRAND told the Wash
jugtCn conference that France expected to
3SE for 4 large number OF submarines.
When he left for Europe. n reporter i'm
New York asked him what France wanted
20 many submarines for and Ec was
quoted rs replying in cynical vein that
France wanted to fish for sardinea" and
Investigate underwater vegetation
British Are Enraged.
This remark cnragrd British opinion.
Lord CUrZou made his famous speech
warning France that a policy of isolation
on her part was dangerous. Immcdi-
ateiy therefore, the British began having
conferences with the Germans about re-
Faration payments and Il began 10 look
10 France as if the british were playing
closer to Germany than to France in
economic matters. What more natural
thing therefore shan for Premier
BRAND to make gesture which
would indicate to Great Britain
that only by French assent could
the armament agreement be made. Some
compensation for French approval had
tO be made The prevailing view Is that
II. BRAND instructed his delegates TO
stir up the naval issue at the very mo-
uacnt when be was about to negotiate
with Prime Minister Lloyd George on
ether questions of far greater Importance
to France than the building of 10 ships
six years hence with funds which no
French economist can possibly locate in
the future revenues of France for genera
tons to come.
Naturally however the American and
british delegations have been worked.
Keyed up 10 a tension which is inevitable
in these conferences. the majority of the
delegates have been irritated beyond mea-
sure at the French. policy Some harsh
things have been said. One delegate who
las transcendant admiration for Mr.
Hughes told this correspondent that he
marvelIed that the conference had not
broken up for the head of the American
delegation had minced no words in ex-
pressing himself i'm private and the
French knew exactly the depth of his