Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-18
FRENCH DEMANDS
FARLEY PROBLEM
Other Powers Seen in Posi-
ton to Await Settlement of
Republics Terms.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.
BY Radio to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. CopYright. 1890.

BY Radio to The Star and Chicago Daily
News Copyright, 1880.
LONDON, England, January 10
Careful inquiry among the delegates
and diplomats present here for the
naval conference leads to the presump-
ton that the great naval debates, after
the general opening, will quickly settle
into a prolonged discussion between
France and Great Britain, with the
Japanese and Italians falling tempo
rarily somewhat into the background,
and the United States having the
choice of either supporting Great Brit
ain or reserving itself for the purpose
of acting as an Intermediary between
Great Britain and France.
Virtually all those conversant with
the inside situation now agree that
from the American and British points
of view it is the French position which
forms the chief obstacle to q speedy
agreement. Contrary to what seems to
have been widely believed, 1t Is not
French criticisms as to the methods
and basic principles OF the negotiations
| which threaten trouble. but the French
claims in tonnage, which have not yet
| been presented. but which, 1t Is known,
will tend to make France second class
instead of third class naval power
with its navy slightly stronger than that
of Japan in everything except capital
ships
The size of the French navy Is not
matter of direct interest to either Japan
or the United States, but 1t is ire
mendously important to both Great
Britain and italy. italy, however, by
claiming parity with France, stimulates
the French to push their claims to
point to which Italy is not rich enough
| to follow.
Britain Awaits France.
| Great Britains whole aim, on the
other hand, Is to get the French figures
down. II Great Britain and the United
| States even now are not completely
agreed on cruisers, 1t is because the
British, until they know definitely what
France intends to do, cannot fix their
final figures. Even the maximum cruiser
figures discussed by the United States
and Great Britain will not hold If
the French claims are so high that
Great Britain feels she Is unable to
accept them.
Thus, from the American point Of
view as we'll as from the British, the
main problem of the conference prom
| Uses to be J = To get the French to
reduce il !, claims Already there
appesy aral ways of DOING this, which
explains the optimism that still pre-
| walls in certain delegations
The suggestion OF a three-power
agreement in case France proves recalct-
trant has been virtually abandoned for
the following reasons:
| Such an agreement presumably i'm
| plies giving Japan an increase over its
| Washington ratio. But II Japan were
given an increase, it would be diff1cult
| to refuse an increase to France. As
Stunning, however, that Japan, Great
Britain and the United States reach an
understanding, they must obviously put
clause into the treaty to the effect
that If a non-signatory power builds
beyond a certain figure IN any cate
CORY, then the treaty ceases in certain
respects to be binding.
Would Continue TO Build.
1t Is known that If such an agree
ment were made the French would con-
tinue with their large building program,
| for they have at present complete back
ing from their own public opinion
| against "Anglo-Saxon dictation." Then
either they would, by the simple proc
ess of building, realize their claims, or
Great Britain, to keep its ratio. would
also build. in which case, in order to
| keep parity with Great Britain, the
| United States would have to build, too
and the three-power agreement would
have been futile.
| The present tendency, therefore, is
! to try to find conciliatory ways OF per-
| suading the French to meet the Brit
ish and American views. The means
thus far suggested in inside circles Is
| as follows:
1. Prolongation of the replacement
schedule and ultimately reduction in
size of capital ships. The French say
that their large fleet OF auxiliaries is
| intended chiefly as counterpoise to the
big fleets of capital ships retained by
Great Britain, the United States and
! the French, 1t is said, ought to reduce
their auxiliaries.
The complication here is the new
| German west pocket" battleship. IN
| less Germany enters the present agree
nnent on suitable terms with the French,
| who now have no postwar capital ships.
France will certainly begin building to
meet the German competition and the
possibility of q compromise with the
French by this means is dismissed.
Could Transfer Tonnage.
| 2. The so-called French compromise.
| or the proposal which permits in certain
cases the transfer of tonnage allotment
| from one category to another. Thus,
II the French fail to employ their cap
[ ital ship tom" &c in capital ships, they
| could shift all or part OF 1t to cruisers
| and submarines, thereby meeting tnelr
claims in these respects, while theoret-
ically preserving satisfactory ratios.
All concerned have now agreed to ac-
cept this proposal as the basis for ne
gotiations. and 1t is confidently believed
that something. If not everything. can
be accomplished along this line. How
ever, II the other powers agree to reduce
their fleets Of capital ships, the value OF
these ships as means OF bargaining
with France apparently diminishes.
3. Free France from the competi-
tive push from below by trying to give
Italy satisfaction elsewhere. The 1tal-
ians admit that their demand for parity
with France is mainly theoretical.
What they seem chiefly TO want are
colonial compensations from France
or anybody else. and recognition OF
their preponderant influence in the
Balkans.
| Great Britain and the United States
might use their good offices to get
something for italy along these lines
IL italy would then be willing to aban-
don its idea of parity and sign Medi-
terranean pact.
4. A Mediterranean pact. france
intimates that 1t may be willing to re-
duce its tonnage claims II Great Brit
| ain Spain, Italy and France can con-
clude non-aggression pact covering
| the Mediterranean. Spain seems to be
willing. Great Britain and Italy are
both ready to discuss the matter, but
they want to bargain over 1t.
Great Britain wants to know how
much France is willing to reduce its
| feet before it makes any promises, and
Italy says frankly that it will sign such
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