The Washington herald., 1921-11-19
BRAND WILL LET
FRENCH PACT LIE,
HE TELLS WRITER
Premier Accepts Senate's
Rejection of Treaty
OF Insurance"
By FRANK H. SrMONDS.

1T is not my habit to tilt at
windmills or to attempt the impos-
sible. The United States Senate has
decided against the treaty and that
is all there is to it,"
Thus tersely, but emphatically, NJ.
BRAND yesterday disposed of the
rumor that he had come to this
country to seek by bargain or by
barter to revive that treaty of in
surance which President Wilson
gave to France as a Iewsrd for the
French withdrawal OF all claim
TO occupy the left bank of the
Rhine.
More than four years ago, in the
closing days of his last ministry, NJ.
BRAND received me at the Ouai
dOrsay. The Battle of the Somme
had just been fought: the Russian
revolution was breaking out. 1t
was one of the grimmest moments
of the war. and the political at
tacks upon Joffre had just succeeded
IN eliminating the victor of the
Marne, despite gallant defense by
VI. BRAND himself.
Answers Directly.
Despite all the discouraging cir
= ShiiNcs vi lHdl IuOInenI, 7.
Briard then forecast the victory of
the allies, the return OF Alsace-Lor-
raine, and the destruction of the
German assault upon the common
civilization. Yesterday, speaking
with the same calm, clear direct
ness, answering the questions with
swiftness and decisiveness which
even Mr.. Hughes himself could not
surpass, the French prime minister
met and disposed of many of the
legends which have surrounded his
coming, his actions since he came,
and the purposes of France at the
conference.
Did you come to the United
states to urge the ratifica ton of the
Anglo o-French- h-American treaty of
insurance? was the first question 1
asked.
NO, was the emphatic response.
1t is not my habit to tilt at wind
mills or to attempt the impossible.
The Senate OF the United states has
decided against the treaty of insur-
apce and that is the end of it,"
Nor Other Alliances.
Have you had any thought Of
pressing for an Anglo-French-J -Japa-
nese- American alliance in the Pa
cific".
Naturally not Such a question
mas never been ra 'sed in any form
and since that too is a question of
an alIlance l have already answered
or a Franco-American alliance In
the Pacific" 1 persisted.
Same answer
1t has been suggested in certain
quarters that you may have thought
O. playing the role of umpire be-
tween Great Britain and the I'm ted
states. Is that true?"
No did not come here with any
such purpose or thought, and it is
not for one to suggest himself for
the role Of umpire anyway. Cir
cumstances sometimes render such
a service useful. but no initiative in
that direction has ever come from
me-"
Not to Raise Debt Qustion.
"All sorts of Interpretations have
been made of what you said at the
session Monday following Mr.. Bal
four. 1t has even been suggested
that II was a threat or a warning"
Nothing of the sort. / only took
advantage of the opportunity which
was offered me to say that 1 would
at later time explain the posit on
Of France on the question of land
armament
TT has been asserted in many
directions that you came here with
the idea of using the debt owed by
France to the United States as a
bargaining point in the discuss on
OF the question of the limitation of
arm3ments."
There is not the slightest founda.
ton for such assertions. The aues-
ton has never been raised. We haA
the age nda of the conference before
we came here and the subject of
the war debts was not on II. There
fore we never had the slightest
thought of raising it,
Certain British correspondents
have suggested in their articles that
Great Britain would be willing TO
give France guarantees of security
against German aggression OF
d6fnite sort provided France would
agree TO reduce her army. Is that
so?"
There was no mistaking the look
Of astonishment upon the prime