Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-21


disarmed. And disarmed by whomf
BY Napoleon. Well. that Prussia,
which seemed practically disarmed.
which was harmless to all intents
and purposes, we found her again
on the battlefield, and we were
nearly bled white. How can We
forget thatf
said Of the French people. II ID
often said that we are frivolous
nation. and that naturally when
the danger Is passed We turn our
mind to other things, Just as beits
a frivolous people.
Army Averted New War.
Evidently. gentlemen. we are
not the sort of men to keep our
eyes steadily fixed on whatever Is
sad and depressing. We have not
been doing that since the war. but
we have been too deeply wounded,
might almost say, murdered: to
forget the direful lesson which
has just been taught us. Gentle
men. we have too many homes in
mourning In our country. there
are too many men in the streets
that are disabled and manned.
Even If we wanted to forget. we
could not. Therefore, we have
not the right and we do not In
tend to leave France defenseless.
France must to all intents and
Such Is the situation as far as
we are concerned. You will grant
me. gentlemen, that it is serious
enough. But that Is not all.
What about the rest of Europe?
Apparently Europe is at peace.
although here and there on the
ground certain volumes OF smoke
Il % tW,I q
the fire is not extinguished every
where. l may say this fire Is
smoldering in certain parts OF
Europe, and If France had not had
an army war would already have
broken out in Europe again. 1
will just draw your attention to
one subject to which l may REFER
later on, and that is the subject OF
Russia. Russia is a country OF
12O.O0O,000, and which is actually
boiling over with anarchy.
Danger In Russia.
They have an enormous stand
ing army. which is In theory a
million and q half men, but which
has a tactical strength of 100000
men. What will Russia do? VINO
can say what will happen on that
side? About a year and a half ago
there was a wild rush of Russia
on Europe. Russia tried to rush
Poland and through Poland 10
reach Germany. where some people
were reckoning to them. Gentle
men, we had at that time known
terribly anxious hours in France.
If the barrier had not held gooo'
II that anarchic army had been able
to join the people who were GAZING
them on the other side, what would
have happened? Where would
France now be and where would
the rest of Europe be? Happily,
there was the French army. which
was the soldier of order for our
own account and for the sake OF
the world.
Russian Condition Unsettled.
The situation in Russia is far
from being settled. 1t is a sort OF
permanent anxiety to everybody.
What will become of that enor-
nous army? What could or might
Germany do in order to equip
Russian and exploit her? We know
not. There are 80 many problems,
economic, financial, etc. with
which we have to deal that really.
gentlemen. we do not know TO
which to turn, but the greatest
problem of all, the greatest ques-
III.
be able to live. That is a sort of
question mark in France. Thanks
to our allies, toward wfom our
gratitude will remain everlasting
thanks to their efforts. we have
been able altogether to insure the
life, liberty and dignity OF men,
but. gentlemen. while l trust you,
YOU will certainly feel the weight
Of my argument and recognize that
we are faced with a very terribly
serious situation.
When we say we contemplate
reduction of naval armament, when
we discuss it with ourselves heart
to heart, we could have nothing IN
our minds, we were speaking be-
tween friends. there is no threat OF
of war; IL there is any menace to
peace II is so far distant that you
can hardly conceive 1t, and yet you
have not assumed the right of ig-
noring this danger altogether. you
intend to keep your navies to the
extent necessary to defend your
liberty and insure your lie.
Sea VS.. Land.
Well, IL you do that, gentlemen.
on the sea, what shall we do when
the danger is there at our doors
and hanging over our heads?
If there was any statesmen-and
as one I may say that I have al
ways been in favor of peace;
have assumed power for the sake
of peace in very difficult conditions
where my country was feeling nat
ural impotence at the state of
things, ] formally attach myself to
the cause of peace. 1 fastened my
heart on that noble task. and / may
say that If ever peace is to be dis
turbed in the world. ! shall not be
the one to disturb 1t. But, gentle
men, precisely because / have urged
everybody on the road of peace, be-
cause / have done everything in my
power in order to obtain peace. I
feel all the more the great weight
of the responsibility which / have
assumed. and. If tomorrow, because
/ shall have been too optimistic, 1
saw my country again attacked.
trample under foot, bleeding be-
men, I should be most despfcable
traitor.
Point to Upper Silesia.
It is that situation which we
have got to take into account,
gentlemen. and the weight Of the
responsibilities with which we are
burdened.
Only the other day. the course Of
events turned in such a way that
it suddenly became acute. as you
know, in Upper Silesia. have al
ready referred to this subject. Ger
many. who did not think that the
French people were ready to I'M
dertake a military operation, sud
denly informed us that she was
going to send the reichwehr on the
spot in Upper Silesia in order to
preserve order.
These were momentous times for
us, and, although I have been
through many critical times in my
life, l may say that no hour was