Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-24
BRAND ANSWERED
BRIEFLY by HUGHES
BY WILLIAM j. BRYAN

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-The
crisis of the conference was reach
ed in the third session.
The first and second session went
as far toward the reduction in navies
as can be, expected, unless lanG
forces are also materially decreas
ed. Since the second session, the
Far Eastern question has made very
satisfactory progress toward settle
ment.
The third great issue, viz, limi
tation of land ornaments, occupied
the stage with Premier Brands
speech overshadowing all other parts
Of the program. BRAND is a great
orator, he dealt with a great sub
ject, and the occasion was great be-
cause his words will reach the entire
world. But it was an unpleasant
role because the premier could not
fail to realize that he was presenting
unpalatable facts to an audience that
was anxious to sympathize. What
profound impression he would have
made if he could have discussed ar.
maments on land in the same spirit
that Secretary Hughes discussed
armament on sea.
The premier'S argument cannot be
disputed, if his premises are grant
ed, but his premises will not be
granted without further investiga-
ton. He assumes a menace in the
proximity of Germany. He estimates
the size of the army that Germany
could raise on short notice and en-
phasizes the fact that war has left
her enough officers and sergeants to
command and lead an army if she
went to war. And yet these very
facts show how futile is Frances
dream of security if she is to rely
upon meeting force with force.
Premier BRAND quoted Won Moltke
and Ludendorff to support Frances
fears. But why estimate Germany
by a war lord dead and a war lord
discarded. If he is going to arouse
real fear as to the future, he will
have to quote from those now in
power rather than from those who
represent an extinct philosophy.
Secretary Hughes, in one sentence,
answered all the arguments that
BRAND presented. He did it in a
kindly way and for the purpose of
giving to France, even greater than
The first striking sentence uttered
by the secretary of state was that
what the world needs is the will to
peace"
He followed this UP with SEN
tence probably better than any other
sentence thus far uttered because it
aptly describes the real purpose of
this conference. viz: "To create a dis
position which will give to France
greater security than arms or mill
tary force can give" There can be
but one dominant thought and all
other thoughts will in time be SUBJ
ordinated to the dominant thought.
Does the world want peace. univer-
sal and perpetual? If SO. is it willing
to substitute the spirit of friendship
for the policy of terrorism? Nations
and groups Of nations have tried to
build peace on terrorism and they
have failed. The world must be born
again in the sense that Its passion
must be a passion for peace and not
for power purchased by bloodshed.
If peace is impossible without moral
disarmament, and. Of course. it is
impossible without moral disarma-
ment-Why not make some inquiry
as to whether and how the peace
spirit can be substituted for the
war spirit, so that peaceful assur-
ances can be given instead of as
surances based on force?
Why not get a statement from
Germany? .....-.
Again is publicity justified; France
has stated her case to the world and
tomorrow the world will set about
the task Of finding. not only for
France, but for all nations, a greater
security than that which they have
fkound in either battleships or long
range guns.
(Copyri~ht. 1921, by United PreSs.)