DISARMAMENT CONTEST

The prospects for a truce between France and Italy as regards naval armament have dimmed considerably since the incompatible demands of the two countries have been made known. France has demanded a greater number of replacements before 1936 than Italy is willing to grant, while the ratio of French submarine tonnage to the English cruiser and destroyer is a possible source of trouble. To those in closest contact with the situation, there has never been much hope for a satisfactory solution.

Despite the fact that the proposed agreement was only temporary in nature, and offered little actual change from the naval relations as left by the Washington and London treaties, it would certainly aid the work of the World Conference to be held next year. The possible failure of the Franco-Italian accord would indirectly serve to magnify the existing distrust between the two countries, while England, through whom the agreement was originally drawn up, is new definitely on the side of Italy, and will do nothing more to patch the relationship. France, too, antagonized by the recent Austro-German customs relationship, is thoroughly on her guard. These added difficulties of a European situation already sufficiently troubled will materially increase the obstacles in the way of full understanding at the coming Geneva conference.