New-York tribune., 1921-11-26
Asserts French Agreement
With the Kemalists Was
Prepared and Signed
at London Conference
Declares Curzon's
Attack Unjusti6ed
Says Action Was to Bring
Peace; Leaves u. S. With
High Hopes in Farley

f1rlStiue DTlanu, Cne trenCh premier,
departed for France yesterday on the
French liner Paris. His decision of
Thursday night at the Lotos Club to
make no reply to Lord Curzon's COM
ment upon Frances attitude weakened
just before the Paris sailed and he re-
piled in defense of the separate agree
ment France had entered into with the
Turkish nationalist government - the
understanding in which France was
charged by the British Foreign Min
lister as "having stolen q march" on
her allies.
Until an hour or two before the
Paris left port M. BRAND persistently
had put aside the issue, saying that
he could not reply until he had before
him an authentic and complete copy
OF Lord Curzon's utterances.
Denies 1t Is Treaty
His resolve changed, however, and
he surprised his interviewers by Civ
ing out at the last moment state
ment concerning the rights of France
in making her own agreements in Asia
Minor. M BRAND said:
"First, it is not treaty. 1t is an
agreement between the Angoran gov
ernment and US for the settlement of
special questions concerning the from
tier Of Syria and Cilicia, the exchange
Of prisoners and the cessation of hos
tilltles which, since the war, have cost
France several thousand killed and
which compelled us to keep in these
distant regions an army Of 10000 men.
ut was an intolerable burden for
which the parliament would no longer
assume responsibility and / am sur
prised that we should be reproached-
in the very moment that we are asked
to reduce our standing army-for.. an
agreement which has as result the pre-
vention of new bloodshed and which
permits US to reduce by half our army
in the Orient.
II am still more surprised that there
should be any astonishment at this
agreement. 1t was prepared and signed
in London, in the course of conference
which, on the initiative of England, the
representatives of Angora had been
asked to attend. We gave notice to our
allies that we had decided to sign a
affairs. The Italians did the same.
Unfortunately, these agreements were
not at once ratified by the Angora as
sembly, but the text of them was COM
municated to all Allied governments,
including England.
Says 1t Csn Ouly Help Peace
Later, with several notifications
which did not fundamentally change it.,
this agreement was again examined
and finally. ratified by the great Turk
ish assembly. 1t can only aid in the
establishment Of a general peace Of
which all the conditions are reserved,
and will soon, hope, form the object
time may result in an equitable and
definite peace in the Orient.
"The British government is we'll
aware that we are all ready, in agree
ment with England and our ether allies
to seize the propitious moment to OBJ
tain peace"
M. BRAND dismissed the Oriental af-
fairs of France with the issuance of
the statement. Discussion Of it was
confined to his written words, and the
subject was disposed of as abruptly
as it had been sprung.
The Premier was cheerful, his laugh
ter and rapid flow of speech being ap-
parently as endless as his optimism
for the success of the Washington con-
ference. In the suite de luxe crowd
ed to the doors with visitors, he moved
about with the delight of schoolboy
having his first big birthday party.
Some one remarked that the room
was too crowded, but M. BRAND said
something about the more the better
and that he was glad to 4eceive his
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