The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-01-05
Frances Excessive Demands Tor
Submarines Block Agree
IInent on That Topic. =.
Mr.. BALFoUR's PLAIN talk
We Of submersIbIss Against Com.
msreS May Be Ferblddsn-lrissl
People Urge Ratification Of
Peace Treaty-Lenesr oe. a.
cupatIon Of Haiti Con.
!: sldered Necessary. :.
sy4EpwARp W. P,ckARp :

by#EDWARD w. PICkARO
FRANCES conception Of her needs
4 in the way Of a defensive navy
and the; flrmness with which her dele
gates upheld their position brought
about q complete deadlock in the
Washington conference last week and
made It almost certain that no agree
ment will be reached by the present
gathering concerning the reduction
and limitation Of submarines and aux
iliary 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, but
they feel that in this naval matter
France is demanding too much.
Albert Sarraut, having received
fresh instructions from Paris, told
the naval committee that France &C.
cepted the allowance OF 175,000 tons
of capital ships, contingent upon per-
mission to begin replacement building
in 1927 instead of 1881, but insisted
that she be allowed 10000 tons Of
submersibles and 10000 tons Of aux
iliary ships. The submarine tonnage
he asked is equal to the maximum
proposed by Mr.. Hughes for Great
Efitain and the United States and
three times what France now has.
Mr.. Balfour,' in language as plain
as diplomatic usage permits. retorted
that France could want such a subma.
rine fleet for no other purpose than
illegal use against commerce, that the
plan was q direct threat against
Great Britain, and that in the circum-
stances the British would agree to no
limitation in the building Of cruisers,
destroyers and other anti-submarine
vessels. To NJ. Sarraut's assertion
that British fears Of French aggres-
sion were baseless since Britain was
allowed a capital ship tonnage greater
1lhan that Of France and Italy COM
bined, Mr.. Balfour replied that, in the
event Of war between Great Britain
and France, England, having no large
army, could not strike at the heart Of
France, but France, employing great
navy of submarines against commerce,
Tod destroy the livery existence" Of
! Britain. To the layman 1t would seem
that Mr.. Balfour had the best Of the
debate, but NJ. Sarraut was unyield-
ing. Therefore Mr.. Hughes, deploring
the attitude Of the French, an
nounced with regret that an agree
ment on, the reduction and limitation
IT, submarine and auxiliary tonnage
appeared impossible.
nESPITE this, the naval committee
- reached other agreements Of
great importance which 1t was as
= Nd the conference would confirm
d. It's next plenary session. One Of
these limits the caliber Of capital
ship guns to l6 inches. Another was
that the use Of submarines against
commerce be barred. The latter, In
the form Of a resolution drafted by
Elihu Root as an established part Of
international law, is as follows:
'4The signatory powers, desiring to
tmeke more effective the rules adopted
~ civilized nations for the protection
Of the lives Of neutrals and noncom-
batants at sea. in time. Of war, declsre
that among those rules the following
are to be deemed an established part
Of international law: IA
VI. A merchant vessel must be or.
dered to stop for visit and search to
determine its character before It can.
b captured. -..-te q
"A merchant vessel must net b. At.
tackled unless y refuses 70 step fses
visIt and search after waraiag, a.
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