The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1922-01-12
Arms Conference Receives the
Completed Program for
Naval Reduction.
"SUB" TONNAGE NOT LIMITED
Chita Delegates Reveal Alleged Fran
co-Jspanese Secret Alliance-Allied
Supreme Council at cannes-5it-
ter Debate over Irish Treaty
in Dali Eireann.
By EDWARD w. PIcKARD

WITH its work almost completed,
w so far as it can be, the arma-
ment conference at Washington met in
plenary session at the close of the
week and heard a report of the pro-
gram for naval reduction and limita-
ton as completed by the naval COM
mittee and its corps OF experts. The
treaty for a ten-year naval holiday to
be entered into by the five principal
powers of the world was presented.
together with the technical details
for carrying Ii out.
As finally decided upon, the agree
ment 10 not so drastic in its plan for
reductions as was proposed by the
American delegation, but the fact re-
mains that 1t puts an end, for a dec
ade, TO the navy building race that
threatened to swamp the taxpayers Of
several nations, and 1t Is admittedly
great step toward world peace.
Notifications OF the original plan re-
suited In slight increases in the ton
mage limits, and ii is asserted these
changes really strengthen relatively
the American navy.
For the United States, Great Britain,
Japan, France and Italy, the capital
ship ratio is 5-5-3-1. 67-1.67. The tonnage
allowed America and Britain is raised
from 100000 to $4,000 each, and that
of the others is proportiOnately In
creased. France is permitted TO build
a limited number of capital ships dur
ing the ten-year period, and Great
Britain may construct two 37OOO-ton
vessels of the Hood type. France
won out in her contentious concerning
submarines and auxiliary craft No
limit is placed on the aggregate ton
mage Of these vessels, but their max
imum size and gun caliber is fixed. A
limit of.10,0OO tons each is put on aux
Hilary ships and light cruisers, and
their guns are not to exceed eight
inches. The ratio for airplane car
riers is To be 5-5-3-2 22-2.22 and the
maximum tonnage for the two largest
powers 10000. These vessels are
limited to tonnage Of 27,OOO each,
and their gun caliber Is restricted.
serted, rejoiced over Japan's success
full demand that she be allowed to re-
tain the dreadnaught Mutsu and
Frances persistence regarding subma-
rines and auxiliary ships. In both
cases the necessary adjustments re-
bounded to the relative strengthening
OF Americas navy. II retains two al
most completed dreadnaughts, and 1t
will have almost as great a tonnage
in submarines as it first proposed in
stead Of only 10000 tons, the point
TO which the American delegates were
about to recede when Great Britain
asked the abolishng OF the U-boat.
The British announced that If France
had a great submarine feet, they must
be permitted TO build as many auxiliary
cruisers as they wished, and II is now
agreed America will equal the British
feet in every respect.
At this writing there appears to be
little doubt Of the approval by the
conference of the Root resolutions de-
claring the employment OF submarines
against commerce as piracy, and Mr..
Balfour's amendment under which the
banning OF submarine operations
against merchantmen shall become Inn
medIately effective as among the FIVE
major powers.
Japan and China, through their
- delegates, resumed the interrupted
conversations over the Shantung H.
sue, but SO far as is now known they
did not make notable progress toward
an agreement. The arrangements for
payment by China for the Klaocho,l-