New-York tribune., 1921-11-24
British Resent
Frances Plea
For Bigger Navy
Cannot Have Sea Power 10
Equal Japan and Retain
Alliance With Ncighbor,
Plain Warming to Paris
Her Submarines a Peril
European Coalition Against
Her Prophesied, if Ambi-
ton Should Be Realized
BY P. w. Wilson

BY p. w. Wilson
For years American correspondent Of
"The London Daily Nefos" and former
Member Of Parliament.
Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune rno.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2s.--I may ex-
plain to-day what will certainly be the
attitude of Great Britain and of her
dominions toward the report that
France intends to demand the right of
building a navy as large as that of
Japan. To begin with, we decline to ac-
ccpt this report as true until it be con-
firmed, and. pending such confirmation
our mentality is philosophic.
France, like every nation, has her
naval experts. AS the healthy old lady
said when she sent daily for her doctor,
"The poor man must live" 1t is the
business of naval experts to write out
navies on paper. That is the sole rea-
son why they have been brought to
Washington. But there is all the differ
ence in the world between the reserva-
tion of right to build fleets and the
construction of those fleets.
1t is quite possible that France and
Italy might attach to their approval of
the naval construction between the
United States, Britain and Japan a
statement Of what they consider to be
their standing in that schedule. In
fact, some statements Of this kind is to
be expected. But the statement would
be very far from meaning "a fleet in
being"
Means End of Alliance
II France decides upon navy as
large as that of Japan, and proceeds to
build it, she will wound sentiment
throughout the British commonwealth
to the very quick. Diplomacy will con-
tinue to be polite, but the great al
lance between France and England
will be, for all practical purposes, at
an end. That result must be consid-
cred obvious and inevitable. The Ger
man navy has disappeared forever. 1t
could not be against Germany, there
fore, that France would be building.
Her objective would be Britain, and
Britain would know it. With q race
developing between the navies of
France and Britain there could not be
a continuance of our former comrade-
ship. 1t would be impossible. France
may have her big navy or She may have
have both. Germany tried to secure
both the alliance and the big navy, but
even in Queen Victoria's days Germany
tailed. 1t had to be one thing or the
other.
France has to-day by far the most
powerful army in Europe. Her mill
tary predominance is FAR greater, in
the opinion Of Britain, than was Gs--
many's military preponderance in Au-
gust, 1914. The French army remains
on war footing. To this Britain
raises no objection-it is not her bust
ness to object-but she states the fact.
we have to deal. 1t Is an armed and
powerful France.
If to her dominant army France adds
a navy second only to Brcain's her
aim will be obvious. She will be tell
ing the world that she wants the Rhine
frontier; that she is prepared to seize
it even at the risk Of breaking the
Treaty of Versailles, and that she
wishes to keep Britain from interven-
ing as signatory of that treaty. Such
a situation would mean beyond all con-
troversy and question complete loss
of sympathy with France in Europe.
Pressed to it's logical conclusion, it
would eliminate in q coalition of Eu-
do not suppose for one moment that
French opinion is as yet committed to
this suicidal challenge. And, with Mr..
Lloyd George as Prime Minister,
imagine that there will be some very
plain speaking from London if the
danger becomes really imminent
France Reminded of Debt
Where would France be to-day if the
hoI ,A% Iofo IoI l.
coasts and patrolled the oceans while
troops from all over the world came to
her assistance? am one who heard
Sir Edward Grey, as he then was, de-
liver his great war speech in the House
OF Commons during the first week of
August. 1914. What was the most dra-
matte passage in that momentous ora
tion? An appeal to the British navy
to defend the channel ports of France
against the German high seas feet. Are
those ports which we thus defended
from destruction to be turned into
nests OF submarines, on the very flank
OF our main trade routes, merely be.
cause we cannot follow France in her
policy of an unending quarrel with
Germany? That is the proposition at
trlbuted by rumor and report to the
French delegation. Are our million
dead IN the soil of France to count fol
nothing? Is the soil of France. that
cradles our Unknown Soldier in West
minister Abbey, to rise up against us
in new naval menace to our elemen-
tai necessities of life? I hope that
there may be NO such madness. And
assuredly France cannot sustain the
argument that she is threatened by
Geremany If she feels herself strong
enough thus to ALLEVIATE England.
What has to be realized is the de-
pendence Of England and the indepen-
dence Of France of overseas Commerce