The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-02-17
Naval Conference Subterfuges

Failure in the London naval limitation conference L
persuade France and Italy to agree to abolition OF the
submarine as a device OF sea warfare is in part offset
by the proposal to humanize their use-unless there !.
only a trick behind the substitute proposal.
Humanizing submersible attacks doesn't, after all
amount to much. It is a poor substitute for the AIneri-
can proposal of abolition. War will be inhuman always
as it has been in the past. There really is no such thing
Is hunanizing it, short of abandoning 1t.
Secretary Stimson. however, was pleased with tho pos
sibility OF getting that concession, Subs, 1t Is stated, are ia
be subjected in their attacks on merchant ships to the
same rules that apply to surface warfare. They are
not to sink merchant ships without warning and they
are always to make sure that passengers and crew are
safely embarked in lifeboats, with help near at hand. be-
fore firing any %torpedoes.
This is almost the style of war as conducted by Count
Felix Won Luckner. Re never sank a ship in his South
sea adventuring without everybody was oft, but he took
them aboard the Secadler and gave them champagne
dinners afterward. So the humanizing Of sub warfare still
has some distance to go before it can become as human
lied as Won Luckner made it.
Failure to abolish the sub is due to French. japanese
and italian opposition. Britain and the United States
alone favor abolition of the assassin Of the seas.
The submarine issue is one that is giving the French
the leading role In the conference. It Is providing the
basis for French strategy In what seems like a con-
spiracy to upset the conference and thus shift all dis
armament or limitation of ornaments to the League OF
Nations at Geneva. France counts on the support Of
many European and South American states II 1t can
divert the arms issue to Geneva. France rather controls
the League. It wanted the subject now up at London
referred to the League in the first place. Failing in that.
it now is playing a poker game at London, it Is suspected.
Failure Of the London conference. according to Frank
H. Simonds, the American who writes so penetratingly
on European questions, would be regarded by France
as her victory, no matter how achieved. It would be
hailed as a victory for the French thesis that disarma-
ment is a League OF Nations matter.
Premier Tardieu crafty has set the stage for such
q failure of the conference In his proposal for human
izing sub warfare. He thus steals the thunder of Lord
Balfour at Washington in 1922, much to British dis
may and resentment. That proposal was incorporated
in q resolution by Elihu Root barring attacks on mer-
chantnen by subs. France for eight years refused to
accede to this resolution, but now. In order to get its voice
heard first at London, it springs what virtually is the old
Balfour-Root formula.
This conceivably might upset the conference. The
gravity Of 1t lies in the effect it will have on the whole
project Of limitation. To "humanize' sub warfare instead
of abolishing or limiting subs is to render the whole
scheme of naval reduction rather shaky, II not impos-
sible.
France has a gigantic program calling for an even
tual flotilla Of lis submarines. 81 Of which would be
ocean-going craft of great cruising endurance. and -
smaller type vessels. norninally for coastal defense. but
quite capable Of operating on the high seas.
The United States. which now Is the leading SUBJ
marine power, has only Ill. Great Britain already Is
considerably inferior to France. with only 66 submarines
built and building, against the French total Of 80.
Frances full program calls for $4,000 tons Of submarines,
which is nearly 10000 more than the United States and
Great Britain propose for themselves. and in that event
the submersible craft cannot be abolished.
If France insists on the vast submarine tonnage Great
Britain will require heavier tonnage In light cruisers and
destroyers. This automatically will upset the Anglo
American plan to confine the gross tonnage Of the British
md American fleets to 100000.
It will be impossible for Britain and the United States
10 make any limitation agreement between themselves
and let France, Italy and Japan proceed to adopt their
own progress of naval construction-or even for Britain,
the United States and Japan to agree on parity. with
France and Italy outside.
AS the conference proceeds. the possibility that Presi-
dent Hoover will have to set in motion again the Is
cruiser program becomes at times like this instance .
rather imminent prospect.