The Arvada enterprise., 1922-01-05
Frances Excessive Demands for
Submarines Block Agree
ment On That Topic.
Mr.. aAFulR's PLAIN TALK
Uss Of submsrsib'es Against Com.
nsres May De Forbiddsn-lristl
People Ures Ratification Of
Peaes Trsaty-longsr oe.
eupatien Of Haiti Con.
sissrsd Necessary.
Dy EDWARD w. PlcKARo

oy EDWARD w. piCkAR0
FRANCES conception Of her needs
In the way Of defensive navy
and the firmness with which her dele
gates upheld their position brought
about a complete deadlock In the
Washington conference last week and
made It almost certain that no agree
inent will be reached by tlse present
gathering concerning the reduction
and Limitation Of submarines and aux
Hilary naval tonnage. The other pow
ers participating In the conference
were willing to concede the fairness
of the French position concerning the
reduction Of her land armament. hut
they feel that In this naval matter
France Is demanding too much.
Albert Sarnut. having received
fresh instructions from Paris. told
the naval committee that France ac-
cepted the allowance Of l75.0O tons
Of capital ships, contingent upon per-
mission to begin replacement building
in 1927 instead Of 1891. hut insisted
thRt she he allowed 9ONO tons Of
mersibles and :rsO.ODO tons Of aux-
Hilary ships. The submarine tonnage
he asked ia equal to the maximum
proposed BY Mr.. Hughes for Great
Britain and the United States and
three times what France now has.
Mr.. Baifour. In language ax plain
as diplomatic usage permits, retOrted
that France could want such a xubma.
rine fleet for no other purpOse than
illegal use against commerce. that the
plan was a direct threat against
Great Britain. and that In the circum-
stances the British would agree to no
Limitation in the building Of cruisers.
Aestroyers and other anti-suhrnarine
vessels. To II. SarrRut's assertion
that British fears Of French agGres-
sion were baaeleSs since britain was
allowed capital shin tonnage greater
than that Of France and Italy com.
lined. Mr.. Baifour replied that. In the
event Of war between Great Britain
and France. England. having no large
army. could not strike NJ the heart Of
France. hut Francc. employing a great
navy Of submarines against commerce.
could destroy the "very existence" Of
Britain. To the layman II would seem
that Mr.. Raifour had tive hest of the
debate. but NJ Sarraut was nnyield.
ing. Therefore Mr.. Hughes. deploring
the attitude Of the French. an.
nounced with regret that mn agree.
ment on tile reduction md Limitation
NJ submarine md auxiliary t"nnnge
appeared impossible.
nESrlrE this. the naval committee
~ reached other agreements Of
great Importance which It was ns-
sumcd the conference would confirm
In its next plenary session. One of
these limits the cnlibcr Of capital
ship guns TO 10 inches. Another was
TINT the use ri submarines against
commerce bc buried. The latter. In
the form Of a resolution drafted by
f.iii,u Root as an established pnrt OF
international law, is ny follows:
"The signn.ory powers. desiring to
make more effective the rules adopted
by civilized nations for the protection
Of the lives Of neutrnls and noncofn.
batnnts nj xea In time of wnr. declare
that among those rules the followln:
are to bc deemed mn established part
Of international law:
II. A merchant vessel mast he ~.
dered 10 stop for visit and search to
determine its character before II can
BE- captured.
~ merchant vessel must not he ut.
tackled unless Il refuses tn stop for
visit and search after warning.
- merchant vessel must not b de-