15 FEBRUARY 1930, Page 2

The Conference agreed that two resolutions which had -been tabled

should be examined by the First Com- mittee. The first resolution, which is French, asks for an agreement forbidding submarines to act towards merchant ships otherwise than in the manner observed by surface ships of war. The other resolution, which is American, invites the First Committee to report -on three points, (1) the abolition of the submarine, (2) the regulation of its use, (8) the limitation' of its size. After the session on Tuesday Mr. Stimson spoke of the " definite-decision "—so he called it—of the Five Powers to make the rules of surface ships apply to submarines as " alone worth the visit of the American delegation to London." We trust that much more will be heard of Signor Grandi's proposal. He did not speak as a mere humanitarian ; obviously he believes that Italy cannot abolish the submarine unless the chief quarry of the submarine is also abolished. He therefore made a fair and- logical offer and we can see no real obstacle to its being accepted.