Naval Conference

The preliminary Naval Conference, having assembled at Rome (TIME, Feb. 18) under the auspices of the League of Nations to consider the extension of the principles of the Washington Naval Treaty to out-side Powers, began its deliberations.

Admiral Behrens, Russion delegate, attracted much attention. A typical aristocrat of the Tsarist regime, speaking French fluently, he showed great interest in the League and in the Conference.

Later, when given an opportunity to speak, he said: "It is all right for the United States, England and Japan to establish a limit for their armaments because they are nations that are already functioning normally, but Russia has not begun to function normally; we have not yet reached normal conditions in our international agreements. We would be stabbing in the dark if we committed ourselves at this time."

Later still he formulated a demand that "the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea be declared closed zones, with Russia having the right to fortify herself to the limit within both seas and being allowed a tonnage equal to Great Britain's under the Washington terms."

The Conference is for experts only and its first purpose is to pave the way for a new League of Nations Naval Conference next year.