The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-24
FARLEY DEBATES SUBMARINE OFFER
 OF GREAT BRITAIN
French Admiral Declares Each Power Must Have 90,000 Tons Under
 sea Vessels
By Associated Press

Washington, December 23.-The submarine problem and the new four-power treaty, the one constitut- ing the unfinished business of the arms conference and the other att tracting increasing interest because of the difference in view between President Harding and the American delegation, tonight divided the atten- tionS of the plenlpotentiarie of the powers assembled in Washington.
 New prominence was given the treaty discussions during the day by public statement by the President, charaeterizing the differences over interpretation of the pact as "unim portant" and declaring the American delegates had the full confidence" of the White House.
 Mir. Harding added that the treaty contemplated no alliance or entan- element" and asked that lesser questions of difference be not permit ted to obscure the centna1 purpose of the agreement to preserve peace and provide means for friendly consulta- ton as a means of settling interna- uonal controversies.
 Within the arms conference proper the days only session was devoted to continuance Of the debate over Great Britain's proposal to abolish the submarine. The discussion was not finished and the conference. giv- Ing up plans for an extended Christ mas recess, will meet again tomorrow to consider it.
 Auxiliary Tonnage
 In the meantime discussion of the general question of auxiliary tonnage allotments remains in abeyance de- spite the fact that additional instruc- tons on the subject reached the French delegation from Paris. The French have taken the position that the abolition proposal should be car ried to a decision before anotment details are taken up. and apparently their viewpoint has been approved by the other powers.
 In replying to the British proposal today, however, Admiral de Bon, chief French naval expert, gave the conference glimpse of Frances po- sition on auxiliary tonnage by de- claring no important naval power could afford to maintain less than the 9O.000 tons of submarines pro- posed in the American reduction plan for the United States and Great Britain. The 90,000-ton figure would be greatly in excess of the present French submarine strength and. would be three times the amount she would have under an application of the ratio already agreed to as to capital ships
 Along with the submarine discus sions there has developed a proposal that plans be made for some future conference to include other nations and take up details of auxiliary fleet construction which some of the dele- gates feel cannot be settled here. The Italians have taken the lead In ad- vocating such a plan and the British are understood to have suggested that the United States come forward with some definite proposal in line with President Harding's desire for a continuing series of international meetings. The conversations have not. however. reached a formal stage.
 It Is the hope of conference leaders that committee discussion of the pro- posal for abolition of the submarine may be concluded tomorrow, and in some quarters 1t is believed that after Christmas the negotiations re- lating to the far east will be resumed
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