The New York herald., 1921-12-17

SpeCtut DcNDdfcN 10 IIiE NEW 1ORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., Dec. Is.
An amiable and speedy completion
of the naval programme hoped for
by delegates to the international con.
ference was temporarily impeded to.
day By an unexpected development.
This was the momentary insistencc
of the French Government that the
international armaments conference
sanction its request for authority to
build ten capital ships Of $4,000 tons
each at an approximate cost of $780,.
100000.
Experts who have examined tn.
French demand assert that the ac.
certance of the French proposal will
give that country at the end of the
naval holiday already agreed upon
100000 more tons &c capital ships
than will be in the fleets OF the
United States or Great Britain.
The French demand, coming on top
Of the agreements reached yesterday
among delegates of the United States.
Great Britain and Japan as to sea
ornaments, Pacific fortiflcations and
providing for ten year naval holi-
day. has created surprise and to some
extent CONSERVATION among officials
who then ANTICIPATED the speedy so.
luton of all navsl problems.
While conndent that the demands
which the French delegates officially
presented to the armaments commit.
tee to-day will be modified to con.
form TO the relative ratios of Great
Britain. Japan and Italy, the dele
gates from these countries admitted
that "the French position is most
disturbing"
Holds Up Programme at Cost.
The chief embarrassment caused
by the unexpected action Of France
will be to hold up for the time the
completion of the naval programme,
two-thirds of which has been set.
tied. Spokesman for the American
and British delegations admit that
the entire naval plan for the future
would stand or fall with the final
decision of the French Government
regarding its new claims.
II Is not considered even among
the possibilities that the request OF
France to invest a staggering sum in
naval establishment which Is
viewed by other delegates as both ex.
cessive and unnecessary. can be sane
toned without compelling rejection
OF the reforms in sea armaments pro.
posed by this Government and agreed
to by Great Britain and Japan.
The alternative as 1t appears TO
American. British and japanese dele
gates is the resumption CT naval COM
petition on a stupendous scale that
not only will add tremendously to the
financial burdens already shouldered
by the French people but cause other
nations to spend more than they re-
gard as either desirable or necessary!
The announcement that NJ. Sarraut.
head OF the French delegation, had
asked the naval subcommittee of fif. 4,
teen engaged in making a final sur
vey of capital. auxiliary and sub
marine armaments for authority TO
build ten capital ships came from the
British delegation. The Italian dele
gates. whose policy has been TO matcu
the French demands, although con-
ceding the extravaganza of such an
unnecessary programme. made no
definite announcement regarding
their position on the French request.
Italy wants as Much as France.
The Italians have contendcd that
their own country and France shouic
not be compelled to maintain naval es-
Establishments approximating the $4,000
tons fixed by France The chief naval
needs OF the Italians--and according
20 their view those of France--lie in
the direction OF auxiliary craft and
submarines The Italian position.
therefore harmonizes with the Ameri-
can and japanese attitudes as TO sub
marines, although II is in conflict with
the position of Great Britain.
There is no question that the re-
quest of the French Government to
spend more money instead OF less in
maintaining a huge naval establlsh-