The New York herald., 1921-11-22

we dic CouCcIucu. iou Will 81 iohS
me. gentlemen, that it is serious
enough. But that is not all.
What about the rest of Europe?
Apparently Europe is at peace, al
though here and there on the
ground certain volumes of smoke
Just rising seem to indicate that
the fire is not extinguished every
where. / may say this fire is
smoldering in certain parts Of Eu-
rope, and IL France had not had an
army war would already have
broken out in Europe again.
/ will just draw your attention
to one subject to which l may refer
later on, and that is the subject OF
Russia. Russia is country OF
120,O00,0O0 men, which is actually
boiling over with anarchy. They
have an enormous standing army,
which is in theory a million and
half men, but which has practi-
cal strength of 100000 men. What
will Russia do? Who can say
what will happen on that side?
About a year and half ago there
was a wild rush Of Russia on
Europe.
Russia tried to rush Poland and
through Poland to reach Germany,
where some people were beckoning
to them. Gentlemen, we had at
that time known terribly anxious
hours in France. If the barrier
had not held good, if that anarchi-
cal army had been able to join the
people who were calling them on
the other side, what would have
happened? Where would France
now be, and where would the rest
of Europe be? Happily there was
the soldier of order for our own
account and for the sake Of the
world.
The situation in Russia is far
from being settled. 1t is sort of
permanent anxiety to everybody.
What will become Of that enormous
army? What could or might Ger
many do in order to equip Russia
and exploit her? We know not.
There are so many problems. eco
nomic and financial, with which
we have to deal, that really, gen.
tlemen, we do not know to which
to turn, but the greatest problem
of all, the greatest question, is life.
First Of all we must be able to
live.
That is a sort of question mark
in France. Thanks to our allies;
toward whom our gratitude will
remain everlasting-thanks to
their efforts-we have been able
altogether to insure the life, lib
erty and dignity Of men, but, gen.
tlemen, while trust you, you will
certainly feel the weight of my
argument and recognize that we
are faced with very terribly seri-
Gus situation.
When we say we contemplate a
reduction of naval armaments.
when we discuss it with ourselves,
heart to heart, we could have moth
ing in our minds, we were speak
ing between friends, there is no
threat Of war; if there is any men,
ace to peace it is so far distant
that you can hardly conceive it;
and yet you have not assumed the
right of ignoring this danger alto
gether, you intend to keep your
navies to the extent necessary to
defend your liberty and insure your
life.
Well, If you do that, gentlemen,
on the sea, what shall we do when
the danger is there at our doors
and hanging over our heads?
II there was any statesman
and as one l may say l have al.
ways been in favor OF peace;
have assumed power for the sake
OF peace in very difficult conditions
when my country was feeling
natural impatience at the state of
things; formally attached myself
to the cause of peace; l fastened
my heart on that noble task and I
may say that If ever peace is to be
disturbed in the world / shall not
be the one to disturb 1t.
But gentlemen. precisely be-
cause l have urged everybody
on the road of peace; because l
have done everything in my power
in order to obtain peace, feel
all the more the great weight of