Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-12-30
POWERSAGREE
ON AUXILIARY
VESSEL LIMIT
Fix Ten Thousand
Tons as Lawful
Quota.
FRENCH HESITATE
Delegates Qualify In
formal Accept
ancos


big naval powers today agreed to
limit the size Of their auxiliary naval
ships to 10000 tons, thus preventing
the construction Of capital ships un-
der the guise of auxiliary vessels.
No limitation was placed or wiz
be placed on the number Of auxiliary
vessels any nation may have, the
agreement covering only the size of
the vessels.
The limitation was proposed by the
American delegates and formally accepted
by Great Britain, Japan and Italy. The
French delegation accepted informally,
stating that formal acceptance would have
to come later from Paris
Accompanying the agreement was also
an agreement to limit the size of guns
that may be mounted on auxiliary craft
TO eight inches.
BRITISH WILL
PROTECT MARINE.
So long as submarines-the assassins
Of the sea-are permitted to form an in
teGraI part Of the worlds nayies, Great
Britain naval strength Will be measured
by her great feet Of merchant vessels.
An official spokesman for the British
delegation indicated this determined
policy Of Great Britain by stating that
Brit9in would never send her merchant
ships to sea unarmed IN war time, re-
gardless Of the restrictions which the
Washington conference places on the uses
of submarines in warfare
While Great Britain wishes to see the
submarine legally outlawed by the Wash
ington conference and her delegates went
into today's session to wage ? determined
night for it. she nevertheless would not
be prepared TO risk her merchant vessels
on any agreement which the powers may
evolve.
ANY WEAPON
IN TINE OF NEED.
Past experience in the World War
taught the lesson. II was stated, that ma
uons are liable TO fight with any weapon
they possess in any way they can, inter
national law or no international law.
when they get their backs to the wall.
Discussions over the submarine restric-
uons and possible ratio of alrplane car
riers were taken up when the powers
met again in secret session at II o'clock.
An Informal ratio Of 5-5-3-o-2 has been
proposed in airplane carriers, but the
French are not prepared to accept this
without reference 10 Paris again, and It
was considered doubtful whether the pro-
posal would be pressed.
Indications were today that the prin-
cipal work Of the conference will be com
pleted within the next two weeks. A. J.
Balfour head OF the British delegation,
Will sail for home Jan. II, and has booked
reservations on that date.
While it is not expected that all Of
the details Of the conference will be
cleared by that time, what will be left
Will be Of minor importance and can be
attended to by the ambassadors in Wash
ington.
BALFOUR EAGER
TO GO HOME.
II is understood that Mr.. BaIfons
wishes TO be home In plenty of time to\
prepare for the economic and financial \
conference in Europe, which is to follow
the meeting of the allied supreme council
in Cannes next week
LITTLE OPPOSITION
Is OFFERED.
Little difficulty was experienced in
obtaining sanction Of the 10000 ton Iimi~
tation and the greater part OF the .ses~
sion this morning was taken up with
the controversial submarine question.
The debate hinged on the second part
of the Root submarine resolution, which
would make it an act Of piracy and pun
ishable as such for submarines TO sink
merchant ships. Again, as yesterday,
the American and British delegations
urged immediate acceptance of the reso-
luton, and again the Japanese, French
and Italian delegates opposed it, say
ing they would have to refer the matter
to their home governments.
DISCUSSION AT
TINES HEATED
The discussion at times was extremely
heated-particularly between Lord Lee
of the British admiralty and Admiral De-
Bon, the French naval adviser.
Lord Lee read an article by a French
naval officer in which the submarine
strategy Of Germany in the war was up
htld. The article declared sIul.Iuf tactics
could be employed by Francr against
England in the event OF war.
When Lord Lee finished the article,
Admiral De Bon was on his feet with
an angry denial that it reflected,
necessarily, the official views OF the
French ministry of marine. or that 1t
was otner than the personal opinion or
the author. 1t was unfair. he indicated,
to assume any other attitude.
Confronted with the prospect Of a con-
siderable delay while the French, jap
anese and Italians consult their govern
ments about submarine restrictions, the
conference adjourned at l o'clock to meet