Show FRANCE MOVES FOR NAVY CUT 1 LONDON Feb 19 GT Despite Despite by tho the French government govern govern- ment nent to go over oer his head d Norman fit 10 Davis Dads chief of the United StatU delegation to the tho Interns Interns- tio oral naval nava conference was vas in informed In- In formed by the government at nt fa n oday ay that b I Iwas was in n Tt charge of naval negotiations kons and oil all French represents represents- senta- senta o would be referred red to kim him WASHINGTON Feb 39 Thc UP The French F ambassador Andre de do Laboulaye La- La boulaye formally has presented his request direct to the United States Stales government for far its to 10 a reduction in the size oct battleships a question now be before before be- be tore fore the tile London naval conference I i t The French representations were presented late yesterday to William I Phillips undersecretary of state vho participated for tor a n. while in the J London deliberations as a member the ef the American delegation i Jn In doing so the French govern- govern I Vent n nt went over the heads heads' of ot Nornan Nor- Nor nan Davis head of tho the American dt delegation at the conference and Admiral William H. H Standley Standby the naval representative fj Undersecretary Phillips declined to to o indicate what this governments government's t t tudo might be He indicated th though ugh a a. formal reply would be belh lh the ambassador within the tho theS S next few Cew days I In London a spokesman for the American delegation had termed the French move preposterous Whether this view was vas shared at the state department was not immediately apparent If Up until the conference began American naval officials consId- consId t red a ton battleship the minimum necessary for defending the country's long coast coastline line f The French are reported to have demanded a reduction to at least tons in capital ships to be I. I built In the future |