Evening star., 1921-11-27


that their administration be soundly reorgan-
ized-but where can a long-term loan be ne
possible. think. ' / expect @ to See see some very
interesting developments shortly In connection
with reparations.
The Conference:-On Monday BRAND made
his great speech to the conference France. he
sale. is not militaristic In spirit. With more
readiness than any other country would she
disarm could she do safely He then
showed why she could not do saf.ly-be-
cause Of the menaees Of Germany and soviet
Russia. He proceeded to tell how the French
army had been reduced by shortening the
period of service with the colors to two IN
duction Is contemplated by reducing the term
to eighteen months. Beyond that. France can,
not go in reducing her military forces until
she is assured Of the moral disarmament" of
Germany and Russia. or unless she should re-
ceive from other powers definite guarantees
of assistance in case of aggression upon her.
France has renounced hope Of such guaran-
hcaRtened (and Germany in the same de-
gre5 morally disarmed') were she to re-
ceive assurances from the great powers rep
resented in the conference that her difficulties
are recognized and that her policy concerning
assurances that she is not morally isolated
After M BRAND sat down the other heads
me. except the Belgian representative. deli
cately avoided direct response to the appeal
Tor approval OF france B pOllcy respecting
land armament but each gave assurance that,
SO far as his country is concerned: France is
on the latter head was the finest burst of
oratory heard at the conference to date.
Later. behind closed doors. land armament
discussed. 1t is understood that 1t was
considered impracticable to draw up a gem
eral program respecting land armaments at
present. and that M. BRAND was told that he
might return to France secure that nothing
prejudiciai to the French policy enunciated by
him would be determined in his absence 1t
is sufficiently obvious that it would be foolish
to attempt program at present
nne aues1n d t OF % taha rhas men mro
posal for reduction of naval ornaments being
under examination by the naval experts the
mainder Of the week to the grand question of
China. Mr.. Sees ten principles" submitted
ence concerning China. were not adopted by
the conference. They have been criticised d..
is is correct. so Some Of them pe are too specificm
their adoption would precipitate discussion of
certain matters which must be approached
wariIy.
In lieu Of Mr.. Sees ten points. the confer
sncs e., adopted % ,s set OF four points drawn up
conference is evidently going about the Chi
nese business very cIrcumspectly Up to the
present Mr.. Sees demand for tariff autonomy
has been the chief question discussed Mr..
SEE does not. 70 be sure. demand complete
authorization for increase of the present Gus
tom rate from nominal per cent tactual
he asks also that the conference fix a date
when complete tariff autonomy shall ensue.
Now the principle of Chinese tariff autonomy,
TO be implied in Mr.. Roots four gen.
eral principles. But to ask that date be
fixed right now when the principle of tariff
autonomy shall become fully effective is prob
ably to ask too much. Britain and the United
States long ago agreed to a 121. per cent
tariff. conditional abolition of the likin.
The likin remains to forbid D. present
cesson of tariff autonomy, and there
other distractions. 1t is up to China.
The above sample shows 1 think. how deli
cate and intricate are the Chinese problems
China is to be assisted gradually to recover
and exercise full sovereignty. But how? A
faulty program would ruin all, seeing which,
the conference is moving most wariy.