The New York herald., 1921-11-19

Special Despatch 10 THE New York HERAtp
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. c., Nov. Is.
The French Premier to-day made a
full declaration of Frances position in
regard to all the problems before the
Washington conference. He dealt
with tho three great questions-naval
ornaments, the Far East and the land
forces of the world
NJ. BRAND said Frances navy was
not as strong as 1t should be, and that
he did not believe in the abolition Of
the submarine.
The French Premier revealed the
fact that already he had laid before
the Far Eastern committee the ideas
of France regarding affairs in the
Pacific. He said France had reduced
her army as much as she could and
desired only to be left alone. Secre-
tary Hughes has set aside Mondays
public session Of the conference for a
declaration by NJ. BRAND on land
armies
"On Monday" said NJ. BRAND, 'T shall
not make a set speech. Ny task is not
to make an oration but to place facts
before the conference I 10 not know
yet what shall say and nv speech will
not exist before I make it at the session
of the conference itself. I plan to stop
Every five minutes in order that what
have to say may be translated. and il
this should, as has been suggested, spoil
the effect. this cannot be helped.
Puts 1t Up to Americans.
Il propose. as regards land arma-
ments, to appeal to the American people.
/ shall simply beg them to place them
selves in the situation France is in at
the present moment and to ask them
what they would do. You live in a
country which is easy to defend. Your
naval forces only have to meet with
those of other Powers that are friendly
to you and you are therefore not men,
aced by an external danger
FRANCES position on land Is alto
Eether different. Russia to-day actually
has an army of 1.5O0. 900 men. and she
is capable of raising force OF 10000
600. She is hostile to us. Germany also
has to be watched continually. II Ger
many would only change her nature il
might be possible to limit our land
forces, but until this is the case we
can do very little.
Experience has taught us that on
every possible occasion the Germans try
to repudate the Versailles treaty. II is
only the French army which prevents
them from doing so.
'If it were not for strong French
army war would have broken out three
or four times since the armistice. The
French army has been the policeman OF
Europe, which. without it's existence,
would to-day be in the throes of univcr-
sal Bolshevism.
You may say that the Russian dan
ger is remote and that the Germans are
weak at present But Just think. II
was only yesterday, one might say, that
Russia did attack US, and it was the
French Army which prevented her from
overrunning Europe in company with
the Germans. n the French Army had
not been strong on Germany's flank and
prevented her from joining with the Rus
slams Europe would be devasted to-day
France has already greatly reduced
her armies and keeps the forces she has
under arms only because she needs
them for defence. We have no mill
tarst feelings. We are not aggressive
and desire nothing but peace.
French Army Not Large.
Perhaps some imagine il Is amusing
to have TO keep up n large army. I as
sure you this Is not so. II would be
much better IL we could use the sums
spent on our army for other purposes.
I'VE should be much better off IL we
could have this money for use. for In
stance. I'm our colonies or to improve our
national equipment. Ux.ortunately we
are not In position to - so.
THE French army Is In reality not
large. If you compare our army now
with the French army before the war
you will see that we have already made
great reductions. This comparison will
show that our present army is more
than as much reduced now. compared
with our pre-war forces, as the navies Of
the world will he by the naval cut which
Is now before the arms conference"
Even now there are bills before the