Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-11-19
BRAND DECLARES
FRENCH HAVE KEPT
PEACE Of EUROPE
Premier Plans to Explain to
- Conference No. kzasge
Army Is Necessary.

Washington. Nov. 1S.-(By The As.
sociated Press. War would have
broken out in Europe three or four
times since the signing of the armis-
tice had it not been for the French
army. Premier BRAND declared Friday
in conversation with American news
paper correspondents. The Fgench
ing speech Monday before the third
plenary session of the arms conference,
which he said would not be an Grafton,
but rather an explanation.
I shall ask the American people,
said he, ito place themselves in the
position of the French people for three
quarters of an hour, and survey tie
European situation as we see il and
feel it.
France does not want large army
any more than you do. We wish it
were possible to reduce it below the
minimum that we now have in mind,
but we must. as we are alone. secure
ourselves. France is not asking for
any guarantees: she is not asking for
anything. If it were possible for the
United States and Italy to say: You
are attacked, we win be With you' then
it would be possible for us 10 ,i,sarm
But if you simply say Do not be
aAiaiat t1aA2aiiiGt souAs Ao ouC ID
going to attack you,' that is not suffi-
cient.
The French Reasons
There is the Russian army of one
million and half. You may say Why
tacking YOU Poland is the only bar
rier. If France had not had strong
army last year the barrier would have
fallen. The soviet troops would have
been in Germany. There would have
been anarchy in central Europe. No,
We must have an army to secure our
self and maintain order"
M. BRAND turned to other subjects.
I'VE cannot look upon the submarine
question in the same way as Mr.. Bal
four he continued. France must
defend herself on three seas and we
have possessions remote from our
country. Mr.. Balfour said nothing re-
specting maintaining communications
that would apply to us. France aban-
doned her construction program of
1912. when the war came on. and near
ly all of our light vessels were Destroy
ed during the war. They have not been
replaced. The French navy today can
not be taken as proportional stand
ard
The French prime minister did not
20 further on the submarine question.
although he was pressed with ques-
tions. He replied that as the naval
experts were in process of determining
he must wait until they
had arrived at conclusions.
Must Leave Soon
II shall be sorry to leave at an in
teresting moment in the conference"
continued NJ BRAND II left France
when parliament was in full course.
Several important and delicate ques-
tions are delayed by my absence, par
ticulariy the French budget. / have
no right to remain away any longer
because If did my valise would be
with too many difficulties.
But / wanted to come and l am glad
/ did. ! believe the principles Of
settlement on Far Eastern questions
and naval restriction viii have been
settled by the time / must leave.
These settlements will give us
peace; but not only peace in the ordin
airy sense, but, I. hope, peace of mind
the atmosphere of peace. Neither
Great Britain, the United States. Japan
nor France have imperialistic designs
on China. We shall, trust. be able
to form an entente on Far Eastern
SO that China shall have ter
ritorial integrity and political inde-
nendence"