New-York tribune., 1921-11-17
England Ready
To Aid France
If Army Is Cut
Whole British Opinion for
Giving Desired Assurance
i'm Return for Radical
Slash i'm Land Forces
Conscription Called Evil
Abolition Would Force Like
Move by Japan and Italy;
No Pressure ON BRAND
Bv p. w. Wilson

For gears American correspondent Of
"Thc London Daily Hesos . and former
Member Of Parliament.
Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Inc
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.-1t may be
stated definitely that Great Britain
will welcome with profound approval
any statement by M. BRAND, Prime
Minister OF France, which includes an
offer to disarm on land. The moro
drastic the disarmament on land thus
proposed the better pleased will be
public opinion in Britain, which opin-
ion is fully reflected in her govern
ment.
1t would be an impertinence 70.
Britain to advance any suggestion to
her friendly neighbor, but France can
not be ignorant Of the fact that no
measure would be better calculated to
restore the entente between herself
and England than proposal by M.
BRAND to reduce the standing army Of
France and the term of conscription,
while If France could see her way to
abolish conscription altogether there
would be no limit to the enthusiastic re-
tion of her citizenship would evoke. 1t
would be difficult to exaggerate the
eagerness with which British opinion
awaits the Forthcoming pronouncement
by M. BRAND.
1t is fully recognized that if France
is to abolish conscription Italy and
Japan must follow her example. Pres
sure could then be brought to bear
upon the small powers which maintain
conscript armies. l must make it clear
that at present there is no reason in
British circles to believe that M.
BRAND is contemplating so bold a step
as the one just indicated. All that 1
have said is that such a step, IL it
should be contemplated, would be GER
tain of British Endorsement.
Reduction Must Be Important
The assumption is that if M. BRAND
proposes to limit armies on land he
will require from the conference GER
tain assurances for France. | do not
doubt that at Washington, as at Paris,
sympathy any measure which might
remove tho fears of invasion still enter
tanned by the French people. 1t has
not been in Britain, but in the United
States that the chief difficulty over
guarantees has arisen. 1t is fair to
add, however, that the arrangement OF
guarantees from Britain and other
powers would be much facilitated if the
French proposal to reduce her army
were large and far reaching. A merely
nominal reduction would fail to arouse
the necessary sentiment OF comrade-
ship. The belief in British quarters is
that conscription is definite policy
which cannot be concealed Either
nation drafts men into the army by
force or it does not so draft them.
Any one can find for himself any day
which nations do or do not practice
conscription. Hence we have here a
proposition as simple in its general
terms as the scrapping Of battleships.
There is naturally much discussion
"assurances." The best British opinion
contemplates, or would contemplate, a
frontier. But if such crime were at
tempted there can be hardly doubt
that Britain would second time come
to the assistance of her ally. The
"assurances" already given are 200
british graves in French soil. rs
Britain sees the case, however, there
may be assurances desired by Francs of
character entirely different from the
above security against invasion. Many
Frenchmen wish to see their country's
frontier advanced to the Rhine, to
which measure of virtual annexation
Britain has not agreed. Also there is
the collection of full reparations from
| Germany by military pressure, about
the wisdom and possibility of which
many British authorities are becoming