Arizona republican., 1921-11-24
1 LIMITATION IF EUROPE'S LAND FORCES TALKED
 BY THE POWERS
rRepublican A. p. Leased wire1


 WASHINGTON, Nov. 23-Facing each other in an executive sessicn, delegations of the great powers ex- changed opinions today on the limi- tation of armies as it touches Europe but adjourned without making joint declaration of policy, either as 10 Europe or general land armament.
 Premier Briand of France, making his last appearance in the conference before leaving, reiterated reasons why his country must maintain the world s largest army and suggested that the only alternative would be-a pledge by the powers to aid France should Germany or any other nation again threaten civilization.
 To this. representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Italy and Japan replied with renewed ex- pressions of regard and sympathy for France, declaring their governments firmly committed to the defense Of free institutions and giving assur- ances that the French people had the moral support of all the powers in facing their problems. But no one came forward with a proposal to write such a pledge into public and joint declaration of policy such as M. " induce France to reduce it's army be- yond the point already contemplated. Neither was there a move to formu- late comprehensive program for land armament reduction like that under consideration for naval forces, and the meeting ended after desig- hating subcommittee to handle col lateral subjects of aircraft, poison gases and rules of warfare
 i Tonight NJ. Briand declared him. self well satisfied to take home the 1 oral expressions of moral support voiced by the representatives of the powers today and in Mondays open session. There were indications that some of the French had hoped he might take along also a formal writ 1 ten pledge, but the premier was said | to have realized the restraints under which the other national groups | found themselves as to the subject. l In any case, he apparently is leav- | ing confident that his principal ob- | ject in coming has been accomplished and that if any attempt is made to | take up in detail the question of 1 land armaments the negotiations
 never will take a trend tnimical to 1 the army of France.
 Determination of sub committees l to deal With aircraft, polSon gas ana the rules of warfare brings into the negotiations several new clements
 Since it would be difficult for the five powers to make any agreement on any of those subjects without having the sanction of all the other nations. the expectation is that the work done here has been merely a foundation for a possible worldwide | conference to handle such problems
 Aircraft development as proceed ing under the direct Supervision oi
 the various governments is accounted
 universally as giving promise oi | sweeping effects on the commercial i world. and it is taken for granted
 that no measure would be proposed | that would seriously curtail that de- velopment. The discussion of use o1
 gases is expected merely to be z
 beginning for a world discussion ant
 the problem of revisin" he rules o1
 warfare must be, in the opinion ot
 the delegates either put later into tht
 hands of continuing commission ol
 referred to a world tribunal.