Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-06

LONDON, February 6.-What
virtually amounts to a five-power
agreement by which submarines
will not be abolished, although
their activities will be restricted,
was said in conference circles this
afternoon to have already been
achieved.
French circles declared fatty
that France would not in any
way consider now the abolition
of submarines. The pronounce
ment was in answer to the
announcement of the American
delegation head, Col. Henry L.
Stimson, that at next Tuesdays
plenary session he would propose
abolition of underwater craft.
France, as had already been
forecast, it was said, intends to
make proposals for ''humaniza-
ton" of submarine warfare. It
was understood the main French
stipulation would forbid the sink
ing of merchant vessels in war
time unless they were armed
heavily. In this case the nations
would bind themselves to make
every provision for the safety of
crews.
Tentatively Agree.
The conference, sitting as a commit
tee of the whole this afternoon, agreed
professionally on the general outlines of
the French plan for limiting naval tom
mage, a conference spokesman an
nounced.
The Italians still entered reservations
on all points. A subcommittee of two
experts and one adviser from each
delegation will be named to adjust GER
tain technical differences between the
two groups, namely, the British and
Americans on one hand and the French
and Japanese on the other. The sub
committee also will draft resolutions
summarizing the progress which has
been made.
In the original French proposal blank
tonnage figures of each nation. The
meeting decided this afternoon that
these figures should be inserted before
the plan is finally accepted.
1t is understood the French proposed
that light cruisers and deStroyerS should
be placed in one single category. japan
supported this, but the United States
and Great Britain opposed it. It finally
was decided to leave this for further dis
cussion by the experts.
French Plan on Tuesday.
1t was understood the resolution
which the French will propose at
Tuesdays plenary session would provide
that in time of war all international
maritime laws and regulations provided
under The Hague convention shall be
applicable to submarines equally as to
other warships. One Of these regula-
tons provides that no merchant vessel
shall be sunk by any war vessel unless
the safety of the people aboard the
merchantmen can be assured and the
attacking vessel has sufficient accom-
mediation to provide for those taken
of the torpedoed ship.
1t was understood France would de-
mand that any convention on the sub
JeCL OF SUBMARINES signed at LONDON
shall be registered with the League of
Nations. Then all other naval powers
possessing submarines and not repre-
scented at the London Conference would
be invited to sign and ratify the con-
vention.
The French announcement was made
after a meeting of the delegation last
night, at which the submarine question
was examined again on the basis of
an announcement that America and
Great Britain were agreed on the ad-
visibility of abolishing the craft. The
outcome of the elaboration was re-
affirmation of the old stand that sub
marines are necessity for France.
Tardieu to Make Speech.
It was understood that Premier
Tardieu plans next Tuesdays plenary
session to meet the proposal for aboli-
ton of the undersea boat with a
speech, in which he will say that
France considers the submarine the
z.irblood of the French Navy. Although
it is not wanted as an offensive weapon,
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