Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1921-12-02
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Conference Agreeing on Naval
Limitations but Apart on
China Questions.
BRANDS ELOQUENT SPEECH
Frances Need Of Strong Army, Due
to Fear Of German Aggression,
Convincingly Set Forth-Tax
Bill Becomes Law and
Congress Ad Journs.
BY EDWARD w. PlCkARD

BY EDWARD W. PlcKARD
n ONCOltD and discord both were
" apparent In the armament confer
encc last week. II appeared the
Hughes plan for naval holiday and
limitation would soon be accepted
formally almost exactly ms he pro
posed IT, Great Britain ndOrsed the
"5-j-3' ratio without reservation and
made II known that she desired only
| to suggest some modification OF the
submarine and replacement features
of the plan MS n whole. The Jap
anese though still arguing that they
should have 10 per cent Of the naval
strength Of Great Britain and the
United States, evidently were pre-
pared TO yield with the expectation
Of some concessions In their favor
relative to China But the British. Mt
home, already are growing impatient.
As soon as the Hughes plan was given
out the admiralty stopped work on
battleships under construction. Thurs
day Il announced that unless de-
cision relative to naval limitation
were reached by the conference with
In two weeks. work on the battleships
would he resumed before Christmas.
The admiralty may have been lntlu-
enced in this by the fact that our
congress adjourned without ordering
cessation of work on our new ships.
As for the dScord, which unfortu-
natcly exists. 1t arises over two sub
jectS-land armament limitation and |
China Concerning the reduction OF |
armies the i'll feeling Is between |
France aud England and Is being
sedulousy fostered by certain British
correspondents now In Washington,
Notably II. G. Wells who brazenly adj
mlts that he IS doing his "own small |
best 10 eXacerbate IT," his avowed |
reason being that "a brisk quarrel
and some plain speaking may clear
the air for better understanding"
n RENTER BRAND, in wonder
l full address, told the conference
and the world Just why France dare
not now reduce her land force too far.
Without hesitation he set forth frank
" his country'S fears Of Germany,
first. and Of Russia, more remotely.
With facts and figures he made plain
the possibility that Germany might
again and almost within day be-
come q powerful and dangerous mill
'ary nation and that considerable
portion Of the German peope look for
ward 70 this he showed by quotations
rom Ludendorff, who still has n large
following. BRAND did not fail to give
praise to Wlrth's government
md admitted there were many people
n Germany, especially among the
working classes, who wnnt 10 work
md want no more war. The Ger
many they represent, he said, France
would do all In her power TO help.
SUI, lie SulU, uHlll lltle WIS u
moral disarming" as well as phys
cal in Germany. and unless France
vas assured of the continued support
4 the United States and Great Brit
in. France could not lay herself open
o attack by Germany I'VE have to
now" he said. that France is not
morally isolated, that she stlll has
nth her the men of good will and
he hearts Of all people who have I
ought with her on the same battle /
eld." {
As for the charge that BRAND and '
he French who follow him have q
idden design TO install In Europe t
sort Of middle supremacy, this, the s
remier said, as the most painful, b
and cruel thing /
renchman can hear" q
II is impossible, much rs one would Il
Ike to do SO, to quote more Of NJ. r
riand's eloquent speech. Suffice II d
} say that to an unprecedented mind Il