The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-19
us. ENVOY
PREVAILS
ON BRAND
Col. Harvey Makes Announce
ment in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
of Ratio Expected.
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES,
International News Service.

BY GEORGE II. HOLMES,
International News Service.
Swift-moving developments in the
triangle formed by Washington, Lon
don and Paris today foreshadowed
the abandonment by France Of her
ambitious demand for a great naval
building program, and her ultimate
acceptance not later than the middle
Of the week Of a naval ratio COM
mensurate with her present strength.
Announcement By Harvey.
s Today's developments were these:
~ George Harvey, American am.
bassad0r 10 Great Britain, announced
II London tlA& he had received
formal assurance from Premier
BRAND In . personal conversation
that Fr.nce would accept Me
a. The French delegation n
Washington received lengthy
cablegram Of instructions from Paris,
signed "Briand," the entire text OF
which has not been received.
(3) In view Of the temporary I'M
pAsse, and until the French delega-
ton receives completed instructions,
the meeting Of the powers today TO
discuss naval matters was post
p0ned until tomorrow.
The contents of the French message
of instructions were not divulged. At
their headquarters II was stated that
1t would take DECIDING experts until
late this afternoon to translate the
and that nothing would be
to the other powers
until the entire text has been received
and duly considered.
VIII Not Endanger Farley.
The impression prevailed, however.
that Paris has instructed the delegn-
ton here not to press matters to a
point where the successful termination
of the conference is endangered.
Ambassador Harvey at London made
a complete report to Secretary Of
State Hughes today on his conversa-
ton with Premier BRAND In London
last night, in which BRAND assured
him that the Hughes naval program
was acceptable to France. Secretary
Hughes took Harvey's report to the
White House soon after its receipt.
The meeting Of the heads of dele
cations to consider the question Of
French and Italian naval ratios,
scheduled for IL o'clock this morn
ing. was suddenly called off q few
minutes before the hour OF convening.
The postponement of the session
was at the request Of the French
delegation.
M. Sarraut, head Of the delegation,
called Secretary of State Hughes on
the telephone, explained the situa-
ton to him, and requested that the
meeting be delayed. Consequently
II was postponed.
Soon after the postponement Of
the session. Secretary of State
Hughes called at the White House
and had a long conversation with
President Harding. He declined to
comment on the situation.
The armament conference went into
its sixth week today on the horns Of
several dilemmas which bid fair to
wreck the hopes of the leaders to ac
complish the principal aims of the
meeting and be out Of Washington by
New Year.
The French demand for a naval
building program of $4,000 tons of
post t-Jutland battleships by 1941 Ia by
far the most serious bar to an earlv
of the conference. The
warning conveyed to Frances dele.
gates here-that persistence In the de.
mand can only wreck what already
has been accomplished and result in
the failure Of the parley-has been met
with the statement that the French
program has the united support of the
French government, and II cannot be
modified except on orders from Paris.
Leaders Optimistic.
In addition to the difficulties pre-
sented by the French naval demand
the Far Eastern situation likewise
does not lend itself to optimism con-
cerning a quick adjournment. China
and Japan are still deadlocked over
the Shantung negotiations. and there
has not been meeting of the Far
East committee since the hurried ad-
journment was taken early last
SCosfinusd ON Pacs -, Column ~