Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-01-20
NATIONS AGREED
ON U-BOAT PLEDGE.
promise COMMON DEcENcY IN
USE OF SUBMARINES" IN
CASE OF WAR.
FRANCES DEMAND WORRIES
Insietence on Right to Build 10000
Tons of Submersibes Has AIienated
Some Sympathy for That Country
No Satisfactory Explanation.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

BY EDWARD B. CLARK
Observation-Disclosures of the con-
ference representing the chief naval
powers have pledged their countries
In the case Of war to a common
decency in the use OF submarines"
Elihu Root, a member of the Ameri-
can delegation of the conference, has
declared that the sinking Of the Lusl-
tania was an act Of piracy. So here
together the country has been given a
promise and a declaration.
1t seems likely that everybody will
feel warm-hearted toward the promise
and that few people probably will feel
cold-hearted toward the piracy defini-
ton OF Elihu Root. What does the fu-
ture hold in the way Of promise that
II war shall come the nations will
keep their pledge to observe common
decency In the use of submarines"
France has not been acting altogeth-
er to the satisfaction of the conferees,
and presumably to all the world ex-
cept France, In matters connected
with future submarine construction.
Unless a change is to come 1t may be
that there will be a race In submarine
and other auxiliary craft construction.
But it will be said the promise for
common decency in the use of u
boats" has been made. Therefore,
why worry?
From every spokesman member OF
the various delegations has come
either a direct word or an Invitation
that the old comparison between pie
crusts and promises still holds and
that pledge to keep the use of sub
marines In war time within the limit
of decent practice will be broken with
In a day after the first gun Is fired
in anger.
Can't Always Rely on Promises.
AS Washington views things today
/ the conference will be a success, even
If the "subs" and other small craft in
large numbers are to engage the
building activities Of the shipyards Of
the future. Nevertheless, the feeling
here is strong that If any confidence
is to be based on promises Of good
behavior in war time Of the future, it
/ might Just as well be known that the
/ base is shaky and full Of cracks. Bel
GUM was invaded, poison gas was
used, and while some nations may In
tend to be more punctilious In the
housekeeping matter, no nation, it
| is held by the hard-headed conferees,
will refrain from using anything when
q war has reached the point of
menace to that nations existence.
What Is the matter with France?
Why has she acted as she has in this
matter of submarines? These two
questions have been asked in Wash
/ ington day by day since the first
French announcement on the subma-
rine subject was made. France says
one thing In answer and the other ma
lions say other things, but the fact
remains that satisfactory answers
have not yet been made. The whole
matter of Frances opposition to navy
building restriction still has Its
blanket of mystery.
Certain things are appreciated here
and they still are depended upon to
/ help in a possible final reimbursement
of the whole situation. The friends of
France in Washington were more nu-
merous and more marked in their
4 manifestations of friendship than per-
haps in any other city of like size in
the United States Today the love of
/ washington for France has cooled
q little. 1t is true that men are max
/ ing excuses for her. and are trying to
see things through the eyes of the
French conferees, or if 1t be a truer
way to put it, through the eyes of the
French officials who are In the home
/ land-but it is hard work.
Wants Right But May Not Build.
There is, it is said within the con-
ference body a group Of men of vary
ing nationalities which holds that al
though France has insisted on her
right to build 10000 tons of subma-
rines and has intimated that she In
tends to build them, she never will
build them In other words, there Is a
i strong feeling that France wants to
make her right in the case clear, but
i tDaL SllO has III AhIChCAOAA OAy 81 "
speak, putting her right into opera
ton.
IF has been said from time to time
that France wants Great Britain to
enter into certain agreements with
her. and it has been intimated that the
French submarine policy is outlined
for the purpose Of helping Great Bri-
tain to realize that she should enter
into the agreement which France de-
sires. If the United States and Great
Britain today would make some kind
of a declaration to safeguard France,
i no one in washington believes that
we would hear anything more about
opposition to the Britisf-American
submarine limitation PLAN
It Is still thought probable that the
martial disarmament plan even to sub
marines will meet with success, not
through pledges made here, but
through future inaction on the part of
France In the submarine matter.
Move to Reduce Army and Navy.
Announcement has been forthcom-
ing that an attempt will be made in