The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1921-12-28

FRANCE MAKES
DEMAND FOR FLEET

Paris, Dec. 81 (By the Associatcd
Press) Frances determination to
have powerful fleet and objections
to the limitation efforts of the Wash
ington conference were vigorously
Voiced in the senate today during a
discussion of the marine section of
the governmnt's budget. Senator
Henri Berenger, who reported the
marine budget, said France was at a
decisive turning point. "Is France
still independent in her navy as in
her army?" he asked. HAS the old
principle of sovereignty been sacri-
hced somewhat in those conferences
wherin We have been promised sort
of internationale of happiness 2"
Senator De Kerguezec defended the
submarine as an essential weapon or
defense. but wishes it To be confined
to military uses instead of beng az
piled TO torpedoinS =. iumrrcc. AT
the Washington confcvenc2,' he said.
I'VE were surprised to sec the Trench
delegation demand $50. COO tins Of
capital ships when France does not
desire to carry war in!o foreign
waters. France desires no mineral
ism, but if we found Admiral De
Bon's proposal St"ang2 there arc.
nevertheless, limitations which W"
can not accept"
Senator De Kergurzcc declared i.
was impossible that the F"en'n d.lc-
cation at Washington had said tina;
the submarines would be used ~ q
stroy the enemy's commercial ilret.
lie explained the necessity cf subma-
rncs in defending the coast and in
transportion of supplies for t, ,rps.
| Minister of Marine Gaisthau. reply
ing to Senator Kcrguczcc, said h
was greatly affected by the remarks
about the Washington conference, hut
he asserted: Nothing has been pro
posed that reduces Frances powers
Moreover, he declared, no decisions
reached at Washington woulC be cf-
fective until the French parl amen,
had approved them. He explained
that the naval program was reduce u
through lack of money but hat a
defensive program was prepared pro
viding for the utilization of The COM
mercial fleet.
Senator Berenger severely criticiz-
ed the condition of the navy and 9th
err senators Joined with him in urg-
ing speedy reforms. Senator Ger
enger described the central naval I'D
ministration as being "in a state OF
what I term arterio Sclerosis."
Preceding the debate over the nav
al budget, the naval commission had
published resolution urging the
minister of marine to increase the
number of submarines so as to ade-
quately protect the coast line in view
of the present weakness of the navy
which was stressed during the DIS
cussion in the senate.
The concluding paragraph of tic
naval resolution follows:
zone cannot conceive, therefore
| lntI Sllol - III IiiiS 'iiSN''o'
should be Obstructed or limited. II
is a question of national independence
and of the right of legitimate defense
that is at stake"
The resolution was adopted in con
nection whit the naval conmssion'E
reports on its program based on two
principals: That the Franch navy
must always be superior to the Ger
man navy and sufficiently supreme II
the Mediterranean to Safeguard
French interests in north Africa ant
the Near East.
The commissions report credits
France with having 40 submarines
of which Is, it is declared, will be
obsolete by 1927. These are to be re
placed only by IL provided for in the
present program, although "a others
are scheduled for the indefinite flu
ture. The commission suggests two
groups of undersea craft, one to bt
composed of short range and the 9th
err of long range submarines, the lat
ter group being for pursuit Of enc
my commerce, pursuit Of pirates anC
of light enemy cruisers"
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