The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-21
FRANCE MUST
RETAIN FORCE
FOR SECURITY

fContinued from First Page.)
touched again with softness a
( his voice pleads for France.
Secretary Hughes called the con
= ference 20 order at 11:01 a. m. aft
{ er photographs had been taken o
i the historic occasion for the frs
4 time.
Hughes Opens Meet
In introducing the subject OF liant
armament, Secretary Hughes SAT-
F there was no problem there for thu
United States, whose traditional
policy was to maintain small
army. He said he took pleasure IL
stating that gratifying progress
had been made during the frs
week of the conference.
The United States fully recog'
nizes. however, the apprehension
and difficulties Of foreign powers
regarding land armament. he
added.
The proposals OF the American
government. regaA ling the imlta-
ton of naval armament" Secretary
Hughes said, "have been under
consideration by the committee OF
the plenipotentiary delegates, and
aided by a subcommittee. the mat
ter is progressing favorably."
Regarding the conference of the
nine powers on Pacific and Far
Eastern questions, Mr.. hughes add
ed, that while the important dec
iarations have been made" there
was nothing at the moment TO re-
port to the plenary session.
Refers to Far East.
Il think / am justified in saying
the secretary continued, speaking
with reference To the Far Eastern
questions, that our expectations
with reference to the expedition
and the consideration of these
questions have been more than
realized"
The question of land armament
he said, was one which had not yet
been brought before the confer
ence.
so far as the army of the Unit
ed States is concerned" Mr.. Hughes
said, mo question is presented. 1t
has always been the policy of the
United States, its traditional pol
icy, to have a regular military es-
adjustment with the smallest pos
sible basis. At the time of the ar
mistice there were upwards of A.
zoe, 900 Americans under arms. At
once on the signing of the armi-
stice, rehabilitation began, and II
was completed in the course of the
following year. Today our regu-
lar establishment numbers less
than Isl. 900 men. While we have
this gratifying condition with re-
epect to our military force in the
United States we fully recognize
! the special difficulties that exist
| with references to military forces
elsewhere
Mr.. Hughes said II was felt thai
fall opportunity should be giver
Il all the delegates TO present theil
i views fully on the questions o
land armament, so that they nigh
be made known to the conference
and the world.
BRAND Begins.
i Premier BRAND. rising 10 pre-
sent the views of France, begar
by saying his government was anx-
. ious 10 take all measures possible
to assure a lasting peace.
France could not put down her
/ arms under present circumstances
he declared, because of conditions
closely touching her national in
tegrity.
Because OF conditions Of insta-
b1lity, France must measure them
with reference TO the consequences
10 her own security, the premier
said
America NJ. BRAND continued,
must see France through uncloud
ed glasses before it could appraise
the situation in its true light. The
picture presented by Europe after
the victory was hard to visualize.
he added.
Critics had said that France
sought military ascendancy in
Europe. but he asserted the impu-
ration was only a cruel reproach.
especially coming after her record
in the war.
Committed to Peace.
Every one who knows France, he
continued, knows the untruth of
the accusation. He asserted that
X ever Lnere" was country COM
Tnitted TO peace it was France. But.
ne added, since the war his coun-
try had gone through many decep-
tons and had seen Germany re-
fuse TO perform her obligations.
Asserting with all his power that
France was the foe of no nation,
NJ. BRAND said his government
wanted continued real peace with
Germany
In Germany, he said, there were
numerous persons who want sin
cerely a peace founded on demo-
cratic institutions. and he declared
II was the sort of a Germany to
which the world must look for hone
But, he asked, how could France
ignore the "other Germany of the
Hohenzollerus.
The old imperial party. he de-
clared, has tried repeatedly to re-
gain control
Quotes Ludendorff.a
AS an example he read Several