Evening star., 1929-11-23
FRANCE HELD KEY
NATION AT PRESENT
IN ARMS SITUATION
fcontinued From First Page.)


firm, for BRAND has never quite for
given the treatment France received
at Washington. It is not BRAND, how
ever, but Andre Tardieu himself who
will present Frances case.
The writer is able to reveal that Tar
dieu intends to go to London, II not for
the entire conference at least for part
of the time. And it is well known that
Tardieu's opinion of how to deal with
the "Anglo-Saxons' is to be firm.
Garry Out Navy Plan.
Immediately after the Washington
conference France adopted what it still
calls its naval statute or plan, which
since has been carried out in yearly
slices undeviatingly. Other ministers
come and go, but Georges Leygues has
been minister of marine for the last six
and is so still His effort has been de-
voted not only to the building UP Of a
depleted navy, but also to improving
technic by having numerous cruisers
showing the French flag in all the seven
seas and by a steady campaign to
arouse naval interest throughout the
country.
It is characteristic of this French
naval plan that 1t is not concerned with
capital ships, but concentrates on
CTub6TS anu SuDIildl ulCo'
The only thing thus far actually de-
cided Is that France at London Will
deny any thought of questions of pride
or prestige in its naval demands and
will found these wholly upon the
theory of the needs of employing, II
possible, the same principles as Great
Britain and the United States used in
computing their own respective needs.
AS the worlds second colonial en-
| pire with a population of over 1OO,-
| O00, 900 with possessions on all the seven
seas and special interests in both the
Atlantic and the Mediterranean, France,
its statesmen and people, cannot equi-
| tably be refused an adequate navy on
any ground whatsoever.
The general French thesis on dis
armament remains unchanged. 1t Is
| that the London agreement, II any,
must be contingent on a later complete
disarmament agreement through the
! League of Nations and that naval limi-
| tation must be by global tonnage rather
| than categories, or at least tonUage
must be interchangeable between cate
| gories.
What to Expect.
Putting all the foregoing together II
can be surnised that the French stand
| at London will be deployed somewhat
as follows:
First. France intends to maintain
intact its Washington capital ship al
lowance of 175,000 tons, but in effect
has built none in 16 years and would
prefer super cruisers Of the new Ger
man type to the costly replacing Of any
existing capital ships.
Second. France is satisfied with heI
Washington ratio of $4,000 tons Of air.
plane carriers she has still untitled.
Third, France will require con-
siderably larger ratio than that o.
washington in large and small cruiser!
and destroyers. Frances naval statutt
puts the global limit of these categorie!
at $50, 600 tons.
Fourth, France is planning to builC
$4,000 tons of seagoing submarines anC
$4,000 tons of coastal submarines
France will not consent to abolish sub
marines. and If the others press thi
issue France will demand the abolition
of capital ships, the consideration o
naval air forces and the discussion o.
the freedom Of the seas.
All in all. It appears that the F'rencl
will hold out in the so-called auxiliarie
J for a ratio Of about 10--10-5 instear
! of the Washington ratio Of l0-l0--3h