Evening star., 1921-12-25

Wnlcn tney were MADE ana tne ldH-
suage in which they were couched.
quite c)ear-I will not say the whole
position occupied by the British dele
gation-but certain points In that case
which l think 1t possible that M. Sar-
raut's speech may have confused.
THE argument that l brought for
ward IN its aspect as connected with
France, which is really the one on
which l propose to touch at the pres
ent moment, may be put in this way:
We were given to understand on the
very highest authority that the dam
ger to France in the future was
danger that comes to her from the
land side, and we were told in terms
OF unforgettable eloquence that that
danger was so great and pressed so
much upon the consciences of public
men and the sentiments of the French
public that it was quite impossible
FOR France to permit any diminutfon
OF land armament.
The decision thus announced had a
most serious effect on the develop
mem of the work of a conference
called together to diminish arma-
ments. This idea had to be aban-
confined to naval disarmament alone:
France. having thus put an end to all
chance of even discussing disarma-
ment by land, proceeds to develop her
sea policy and her sea policy en-
braces the creation of vast sub
marine fleet. Now let us consider
those two positions taken together.
If the danger to France is of the mag
nitude which has been indicated and
IL France (Which heaven forbid) will
again in the future have to call upon
her friends and allies. or late allies.
for assistance In men and assistance
in munitions, 1t will be. I suppose. be-
cause her great eastern neighbor has
not merely revived her army, but has
in part revived her navy. The one. is
not likely to take place without the
other; both are contrary to the treaty
Of Versailles. Very well.
Sees No Defenaive Value In 1t.
I'VE must then assume that there
are 60.000.00O or 70.00O,000 Germans
against whom France has to be pre-
pared, and we must assume that those
6O,OOO.0O0 or 10000, 900 Germans are
supplied, If with nothing else. at least
with the easiest and the cheapest of
all ships that can be built, namely.
submarines. How is France going to
ing of submarines is no use at all. Let
her make her feet of submarines
what she will. they do not protect
either her own merchant ships or the
transports of her neighbors and
friends. They are weapons of offense.
not. as we hear so often. weapons Of
defense. and in no sense would those
subma rines be able to give one atom
of assistance to the French nation if
she be threatened as l have indicated
basing my observations upon NJ.
Brands whole statement Of the case
They would afford her no assistance
in her hour of peril.
ITO whom, then, is she going to
look? There is but one nation in
Europe which is or can he made. so
far as ! can see. adequately safe
against submarine attack, and that
for. 1 almost said. social and eco
nomic reasons which cannot we'll be
copied. We, and we alone, so far as
1 know. in Europe have that large
population. that large sea-faring pop
ulation. which can be utilized for
the manning of the small craft by
which alone submarines can be con-
trolled IN those narrow waters-a pop
ulation which, as shown conclusively
by the experience of the late war. not
only had the numbers but the in
to deal with that situation. So that
must assume. If it be true that
France, in the crisis contemplated by
NJ. BRAND. is going to call upon her
ancient allies for assistance in her
hour of need. it Is upon our anti
pendent for the possibility of that
call being obeyed
Built Against England.
How is that consistent with the
building of this huge mass of sub
marines which anybody who look ed
at the matter from a strictly stra-
tegical and tactical point Of view would
certainly say from the very geograph-
ical situation was built against
Great Britain? 1 know, and of course
l accept. the eloquent words that NJ.
Sarraut has used. OF course 1 know
that he, in his expression of friend
ship for Great Britain, said not one
word in excess Of the truth. 1 know
it represents what comes from his
heart. But no present expression Of
good will however sincere, can con-
troll the future.
I'VE must take account of facts.
And when we try and combine the
military policy. announced by NJ.
BRAND with the naval policy an
nounced by Admiral De Bon we can
not fail to see that here is a naval
and military scheme strangely inco-
herent and inconsistent. Men will
inevitably >ask themselves What is
the ultimate end underlying all that
is being done? Against whom is this
submarine fleet being built? What
purpose is it to serve? What danger
to France is it intended to guard
against?' I know of no satisfactory
answer to such questions.
Confined to AnglO-French Position.
II have so far confined what I have
said strictly to the Anglo-French po-
sition, and l have tried to explain to
those who / know are our friends
why the position seems to the British
public so inconsistent and so difficult
to justify. Let me now say one word
upon the more general aspect. think
there is something to be said in favor
nf
Sarraut. He asked US by what au-
thority five nations at this table could
legislate for the world. We cannot
legislate for the world; we cannot
compel the world to take our opinion.
When he argues from that undeniable
Hughes himself in a sentence which
really covers the whole ground: Even
if they were ready to adopt the prin-
ciple suggested by the British delega-
tion they would still have to await
the adherence of other nations That
is statement which l entirely accept.
Even if that be granted in it's full
extent, as it should be granted, are
we to believe, IL a conference of this
authority were really unanimous and
really put forward upon broad moral
grounds, the statement that in their
view submarines were not weapon
of war that was consistent with civi-
lization, that that would have no ef-
feet? Would that not be the prelude
to their ultimate abolition? Is man
kind SO deaf to these appeals as to
make them fall vainly upon unheed-
ing ears? l do not think SO.
Question Of British Motives.
Il think if it were possible for this
conference of the United States of
America, Japan, France, Italy and
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