The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-19
BY WICKHAM STEED.
Editor of London Tfmes.

The past forty-eight hours have
been breezy. The inexperienced
might call them squally, and think
the swell in conference waters
ominous of coming storms and
wrecks. Others think the swell
merely means that a storm has
passed to leeward.
Nautical metaphor seems apt in
more ways than one. The fine old
French seaman. Admiral de Bon,
whose heart a distinguished British
sailor recently won by saying that
he would be proud to serve under
him as flag-captain, reminded the
naval disarmament committee of his
presence on Friday in manner
worthy of Neptune himself.
Everyone Taken Aback.
Even Americans who remember
that admirals sometimes fail to
measure their words, were taken
atack when Admiral de Bon thrust
his head above an otherwise placid
surface. saying: Gave! adsum!" and
demanded for France ten capital
ships of $4,000 tons each, to be built
during the naval holiday. Holiday
tasks are not unknown in the
United States: but tht American
feeling. in which others shared,
seemed to have been that this was
some task"
In his best seadog manner. Ad-
miral de Bon-who is really the
gentlest of souls. and very decora-
tive to boot-soundly rated the COM
mittee for having, as he imagined,
ignored the needs of the French
navy. The idea of suggesting a
naval ratio for France without pre-
vious official consideration of the
technical statement prepared some
weeks ago by her naval experts, he
seemed to regard as little short of
an impertinence. ...'
Admiral de Bon perhaps did not
know of informal conversations be-
tween NM. BRAND and Viviani and
their American and British col
leagues on the French naval ratio
Nor did it seem to occur to him that
at the outset Mr.. Hughes had
treated all the other powers in the
same way, and that none of them
had resented 1t. But 1t is not a
seadog's business to look for ex-
tenuating circumstances. His job
Is to get in his blow, IL not first, at
any rate effectively.
Shook the Conference.
The efficacy Of the blow was I'M
1t shook the whole
conference. and Washington has
since been resounding with the
- IL
hold very able, but whom none has
ever called meek, is understood to
have retaliated with something be-
tween the retort courteous and the
quarrelsome. With
most elegant courtesy, Mr.. Balfour
then laid bare the Implications Of
the French demand. and left poor
Neptune bemused but unconvinced.
Italy presently indicated her ac-
ceptance of the LIS ratio which, as
proposed by the United States for
France. had aroused Admiral de
Bon's ire.
During this bout the French min
lister for the colonies, NJ. Sarraut.
sat silent When the committee re-
sumed its labors yesterday he. how
ever, as present head of the French
delegation, gave general support TO
the admiral and explained at some
length tho standpoint of France. NJ.
Sarraut is a conciliatory and genial
man, not lacking in frmness. Pend
ing more definite instructions from
Paris, he could hardly do otherwise
than vindicate Admiral de Bon's at
titude, since the technical naval
statement of the French position.
which had apparently been for
some time in the hands of the ma
val committee, had been bequeathed
to him as head of the delegation
by NJ. Viviani on the latter's de-
parture. |
French Delegates Lonely.
Besides, the whole French dele
cation has been suffering from a
sense of loneliness. Unfamiliarity
with the American atmosphere and
with the English language, the con-
seduent .incomprehension of factors
that underlie the whole work Jof the
and must Ultimately de-