Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-24
FRENCH POSTPONE:
PLEA FOR GREATER
/ AUXILIARY NAVY
Submarine Discussion Also
Deferred Briand Cables
Hughes-Japan Refuses to
Discuss 81 Demands

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-By the
Associated Press)-Statemen in
behalf Of France and Italy accepting
formally the American proposals for
limitation Of capital ships armament,
were made today at the meeting of
the delegates of the five major pow
ers Of the Washington conference.
Contrary to general expectations,
the question of auxiliary craft, sub
marines and cruisers, was not
reached at the morning session of
the committee. but went over until
another meeting at 8 o'clock.
The French delegation, it was
SD, was not ready at the morning
session to proceed with the discus
sion of the auxiliary tonnage, as
they had not received instructions
from their government. The dele
cation said it was hoped to have
the instructions for the afternoon
meeting.
i 1IS L1SLl uClCSdIlOllp "Al4S1A
had planned to state it's case in
opposition to submarines as a naval
arm, also withheld its statement at
the morning session. =. which was
said to have been confined largely
to prelimi4.-.-y general discussion
and the clearing up of the capital
ship ratio question.
Admiral DeBon, the French naval
expert, presented the statment for
France in accepting the American
capital ship proposal.
For Italy, Senator Schanzer made
a statement urging that Italy be
entitled to capital ship tonnage
equal to that of France and on be-
half of the Italian delegation ex-
pl ;sed assent to the American pro.
posal as applied to France.
Secretary Hughes. opening the
committee meeting, which for the
first time included all the delegates
of the five principal powers and
their naval experts, recited the past
proceedings Of the armament com.
mittee of fifteen, relative to the ne,
gotiations on capital ship tonnage.
Pact Opposition
While the naval negotiations were
continuing the new fOur-pOWer
treaty to preserve peace in the Pa
cific was becoming a subject OF in
creaSing interest in conference Cir
cles because of the situation that
I has developed since 1t became known
that there is a difference of inter-
probation of the treaty's terms be-
tween President Harding and mem
bers of the American delegation. The
eyes of the representatives of the
powers were t.lrned toward the SEN
ate, which must ratify the agree.
ment before it becomes effective and
some of whose members have an
nounced they would endeavor to de-
feat vote of approval. Republican
leaders insist that the movement
against the treaty shows no promise
of sue -ss, but they are watching
closely the efforts of the anti-ratifi-
cation forces to perfect a closely
knit organization.
Senators Borah, Republican, Idaho,
and Reed, Democrat, Missouri, who
were members of the irreconcilable
group in the Versailles treaty fight,
have taken the leadEn opposing the
new pact in senate debate, but some
other senator's have indicated they
were preparing reservations and
amendments fnr presentation when
ratification is formally proposed by
the president.
The submarine question seemed to.
day to promise the most trouble i'll
the auxiliary naval craft negotia-
tons. In contract to the French re-
quest for more undersea boats the
British are asking that the subma-
rine be abolished altogether. Their
plea for abolition was ready to be
laid before the committee when IT
met today.
Opposition in the senate to the
four-power Pacific treaty had begun
today to assume more definite form.
It was apparent that the fight, in
many respects, would be similar to
that against the treaty of Versailles.
A communication from Premier
BRAND, of France, to Secretary
Hughes, as chairman of the Wash
ingtcn conference, was understood
to have been received today at the
state department. Secretary Hughes
was attending the meeting of the
full naval committee Of the confer
ence and pending its transmission to
him all information as to the nature
of the message was refused.
It also was not disclosed whether
the. communication came from the
French premier direct CT was from
Ambassador Harvey, who has held
several conferences with M. BRAND
in London