CONFERENCE: Submersible Squabbles

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Rodney. While Mediterranean delegates talked submarine last week, a minor flurry in British-U. S. naval circles was caused by the British battleship Rodney, largest, most powerful dreadnaught in the world, possibly the largest battleship that will ever be built. Naval experts have agreed that the way to achieve battleship parity between Britain and the U. S. is for Britain to scrap five battleships, the U. S., three. This still leaves Britain the advantage of the 33,900-ton Rodney. U. S. naval officers blandly suggested that this country be allowed to scrap a fourth battleship, build a duplicate Rodney to take its place. This brought instant protest from Senator Borah in Washington, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations.

"I can see no justification in our building, or claiming the right to build one battleship. Scrap the Rodney. That will settle the proposition."

Most Britons would sooner scrap King George's right eye than the battleship Rodney. In the House of Commons anxious Tories demanded if there was any truth in this startling rumor.

"NO SIR!" said First Lord of the Admiralty Alexander.

French Demands. Toward the week's end a final flurry shook the conference.

Before assembled naval delegates, crisp businesslike Prime Minister André Tardieu demanded for France a total of 725.000 tons by 1937 in order to give her absolute parity with Italy in the Mediterranean, and to offset the 144,000 tons allowed Germany under the Treaty of Versailles. This program, if built, would give France not only the largest submarine fleet in the world, but a total naval ratio of 3-3-2 with Britain and the U. S. Observers were aghast, saw the possibility that instead of reducing armaments, Britain and the U. S. might have to indulge in a billion dollars worth of naval ship building. Admirals and statesmen conferred, President Hoover hurried north from Florida (see p. 13). At the last minute Prime Minister Tardieu dropped a hint. If Britain) and the U. S. would sign a security pact, guaranteeing not to supply food or munitions to any aggressor nation in a war with France, the French Government would cut its demands 20%.

Retribution was swift on Prime Minister Tardieu for nearly wrecking the conference. Returning to Paris for the weekend he was stricken with acute laryngitis, lost his government on a vote of no confidence (see p. 23).