Evening star., 1922-02-01

had played in the late war. on the
seas. No one who had not, like Lord
Lee, had the honor of representing
the British admiralty. could know
what a great part France had played,
to the utmost limit of her ability.
Nothing, the speaker said. was fur
ther from his intention or that Of
Mr.. Balfour, than to suggest the
smallest reprOach to France for not
having been able. with all her other
obligations, to put forth greater
effort for the suppression of the sub
marine. All knew she did her utmost.
But this must be said in regard to
the late controversy on the sub
marine: The situation of the late
war might occur again, in years to
come. In that war. practically the
whole burden of dealing with the
submarine menace, which had affected
france as 1T had affected Great Brit
ain, was thrown upon the latter
power. He remembered Admiral de
Bon saying that no one could recall
without profound emotion the sacri-
iices. burdens and anXieties that were
thrown upon Great Britain as the
result of that submarine campaign
IN these circumstances, and knowing
now nearly that campaign had sue
ceeded, he must remind France that
Great Britain might. not be in a
position to do it again. and to put
| iorth another effort sufficient, to de-
iehd both France and herself He
nad therefore ventured to urge in
tne interest of both their countries
tnat submarines should be suppressed
altosether. because without that sup
preston that perilous situation might
recur.
ihat was the main and the stated
reason for the desire of the British
10 abolish submarines, and that was
why the British empire delegation
regretted so deeply that France,
Knowing all the circumstances.
should have refused their request
ing this intolerable burden upon
them in future war. if the circum-
; stances should recur.
Pleads for FrIendshfp.
! Lord Lee did not want to embark
upon what might be considered a
controversial reply to NJ Jusserand
about Frances desire not to increase
her naval armament. He knew moth
! ing of the desire or motives of
France in that matter. All the Brit
ish empire delegation said was that
as matter of fact France was pro-
posing to treble her existing fleet of
submarines. They objected strongly
to that and they had stated their
objections, and they did not wish to
enlarge upon them again on this oc-
casIon: They. on the other hand,
desired IN every way 10 limit arma-
| ment. They had reduced their own
navy drastically, at this conference,
and had gone further. since the COM
, mencement of the conference, to
show their good will and their de-
sire to assist France and to relieve
her from these unnecessary burdens.
They had offered her a guarantee by
the whole of their armed forces by
| land, sea and air. to protect her
against any aggression on her coasts.
They had done everything that was
possible in that way to show their
good will and good faith, and they
had desired in all these matters to
work with and to assist France
Therefore. he would say as a final
! word, and with an apology to his
colleagues for having detained them
so long. that he desired from the
depths of his heart to see not only
maintained, but improved, the good
, relations that existed between Great
across the channel. and it was the
desire of his country, and certainly
his own desire, that no word should
be said that could in any way i'm
. pair that good feeling. He hoped.
just as his French friends and allies
hoped. that Great Britain and France
should go forward together in these
matters. not only as friends and all
lies. but hand-in- hand for the recon-
strhction of Europe and civilization.
Lee Interrupts Jusserand.
Mr.. Jusserand said:
II shall say only one word. I note
with deep joy the last remarks made
by the first lord of the admiralty.
With that l agree from my heart, and
l may assure him that all my COM
patriots do. l must contest that If
| the submarine be preserved it is
| owing to France; so many unpleasant
| things have been reported as having
for their cause France. when it is not
SO. AS matter of fact, the vote
against the British proposal was
unanimous. including the United
States. both through their delegation
and their advisory committee. Lord
! Lee has again spoken of our inten-
| ton of building a large number of
submarines. We shall in reality build
them or not in accordance with our
! need and our means. That Commander
Castex really condemned the sub
marine war, German fashion, l could
prove by reading again the passage
| quoted a moment ago"
| Lord Lee interrupted to say:
II only say he cited those special
occasions as having spoiled the Ger
man case, which he otherwise
! thought was good one"
NJ. Jusserand then remarked: Il
uOn understand II tHdI way, ana
continued with his speech.
"What,I said of the paradoxical dis
position of Commander Castex re-
/ ferred chiefly to his sweeping his
| torical remarks, like those on per-
turbers' being represented as always
mystical But I do not want to in
sist With Lord Lee 1 am ready to
leave the question to the judgment of
our colleagues when they have a
chance of reading the whole article
under discussion. l want to end re-
peating that the last words pro-
nounced by Lord Lee are those which
in this controversy I chiefly want to
remember"
The chairman then read the treaty
embodying the resolution in regard
to submarines and poison gas. which
was unanimously approved and or
dered reported to the plenary con-
ference.
The committee then adjourned sub
iect to the call of the chair