The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-22

understand why the rest of the world
had not comprehended this situa-
ton, because every nation had its
own pre- occupations But he begged
that the necessities of France be rec
ognized In any consideration of
| French disarmament.
After the armistice, NJ BRAND said,
| France began to demobilize as rapid
| ly as possible, and the period of en-
| forced military service was reduced
| from three to two years. The result.
| he said, was to reduce the three mill :
tary classes to two.
Plan Further Restrictions
Now. he continued, France pro-
POSED further restrictions so that her
army soon would be reduced to half
| it's former strength.
The government, he continued.
however. reduced the army to two
\ classes, aside from the troops in the
French colonies, and in a few days.
he said, the plans provide for a
further reduction to one class, would
| be announced.
1T is quite certain the government
will further reduce service to one
class and the republican French army
will be reduced by half. But if there
should come suggestion for further
reduction it would be impossible for
us without exposing ourselves to the
most serious danger.
when not selfish enough to ask
other nations to give up. part of their
| sovereign national independence TO
come to our support he said. we
i cannot expect It, But If France Is to
remain alone and face the situation
which I have described you must
| not deny her what she wants for her
| security"
| Premier BRAND said he should be
! the last man to impede the noble
endeavors" of the conference, but
! added:
"a moral disarmament of France
would be very dangerous. 1t would
be most unjust. The time has not
come yet. We have need to know
! here that France still has the good
will The true conditions for moral
disarmament of Germany lies in this,
| the fact that 1t should be known
over there that France is not alone.
| II it is known that France is not
alone peace will come back much
quicker and words of revenge will
simply be preached in the wilder
! ness"
France, the speaker said, would do
everything possible in the present
situation and would not hesitate to
open conversations with the German
| government,
| France, he added. has need to feel
| the assurance OF the moral support
| of her recent allies in the war. Re-
iterating Frances devotion to peace,
he declared the day had not yet
come when total land disarmament
was possible.
Expressing confidence that the
world would understand from his ex-
| position the real situation and mo-
! tives of France, because nothing
could be more incorrect than to sup
pose that the French people were OPP
| posed TO the purposes of the arma :
mcnt conference. the premier pledged
| France would do her part so FAR as
she could without closing her eyes
| to her national security.
| VIRTUAL PLEDGE OF
BRITISH AID GIVEN
other speeches made today at the
pienary session of the Washington
conference follow:
Mr.. Balfour said:
"Mr. Chairman: Evidently this is
not a fitting moment to deal nj
length or in detail with the great
speech which has come to it's con-
clusion. 1t has been our privilege to
hear one or the great masters OF
parliamentary oratory. We have
heard him wit hadmiration, we have
heard him with admiration, we have
| sympathy; but we have done much
! more, | think, than merely been the
! auditors of a great, artistic perform
ance, we have heard something more
| than a great speechj we have heard
a perfectly candid, perfectly lucio'
perfectly unmistakable exposition OF
the Utmost thoughts of the prime
| minister of our great ally. He has
! told us, / believe, without reserve
what are the anNieties, what are the
| pre-occupations of the country over
which destinies preside. He has told
| what they fear and why they fear it
| And nothing can be more useful
| nothing can be more instructive to
us of other nations than to have this
| full revelation of the inner thoughts
! OF one of our allied and associated
| statesmen.
| Conditions Very Different
we live under very different con-
| ditions from the French citizens for
| whom M. BRAND has so eloquently
| spoken. In the secure homes of
America no terrors exist or can ex-
list comparative to those which in
! evitabiy haunt the thoughts. waking
| and sleeping, of the leaders of French
politics; for they have what neither
| you In America have nor we in Eng
land have. I do not venture to speak
| for the other nations represented
| around the table. They have at their
very doors the great country, great
| in spite of defeat, powerful in spite
| of losses and of it's policy of the
4 h{oH T..
| the future. they necessarily remain
| in anxious doubt.
1T is good for us all. venture to
| say, from whatever nation we may
be drawn, from whatever part of this
| great continent we come, that we
| should be initiated, as we have been
initiated this morning. into the In
ner sanctuary of French policy
1T must be acknowledged, sorrow
| fully, that the speech to which we
have just listened is not hopeful for
any immediate solution of the great
problem of land ornaments. And
why is it-why is 1t that there Is
great difference between land ar
maments and sea ornaments? why
/ Is 1t that we all here look forward
| with a. confidence to bringing about
as result of our deliberations some
great measure and under the guild
ance of the programme laid before
/ you by the United States government
| why Is 1t we are hopeful of coming
to some solution of the great naval
| problem?
No Moral Disarmament
1t is because, In the language of
M BRAND, there has been In matters
maritime, moral disarmament ana
| 1t is on the basis of the mora1 dic
armament that the physical and ma
terial disarmament is going to be
quilt. That Is why we are hopeful
a hnuf the ma val nuastion I'D s..Lx.