Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-01-06
By EDWARD w. PIcKARD

BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD
ORANGES conception of her needs
in the way of a defensive navy
and the f1rmness 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
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 ac-
cepted the allowance Of $4,000 tons
of capital ships, contingent upon per-
nilsson 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
Britain 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 a 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 M. Sarraut's assertion
that British fears of French agrees
sion were baseless since Britain was
allowed a capital ship tonnage greater
than 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 a great
navy Of submarines against commerce,
could. destroy the Every existence" of
Britain. To the layman it would seem
that Mr.. Balfour had the best Of the
debate, but M. Sarraut was unyield-
ing. Therefore Mr.. Hughes, deplorfng
the attitude Of the French, an
nounced with regret that an agree
ment on the reduction and limitation
Of submarine and auxiliary tonnage
appeared impossible.
II ESPITE this, the naval committee
II reached other agreements Of
great Importance which it was as
sumed the conference would confirm
in it's next plenary session. One of
these limits the caliber of capital
ship guns to 16 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:
''The signatory powers, desiring to
make more effective the rules adopted
by civilized nations for the protection
of the lives of neutrals and noncom-
batants at sea in time of war, declare
that among those rules the following
are to be deemed an established part
of international law:
81. A merchant vessel must be or
dered to stop for visit and search to
determine its character before 1t can
be captured.
"a merchant vessel must not be at
tackled unless it refuses to stop for
visit and search after warning.
"a merchant vessel must not be de-