The Washington herald., 1922-01-01

tracing powers, It may reasonably
believe itself to be exposed.
2. When powers agree among
themselves to limit their ornaments
they obligate themselves by that
very fact, even though tacitly, to
aid that one Of themselves which
should find itself at grips with a
danger which its limited armament
would not allow 1t to subdue.
3. 1t is not possible to have a
contractural Limitation of arma-
ment without there being at the
same time among all the contract
ants a joint and several obligation
of mutual aid.
Mr.. BRAND came here with his
thoughts conferred on France, her
sacrifices. her dangers, / don't think
it's unfair to say that he was not
thinking much of the peace Of the
world. Self-absorbed, he found
himself set at one side Of the Wash
ington conference. To be sure, he
and his colleagues were given
position at the left of the American
delegates, Great Britain being at
the right, but when Mr.. Hughes
presented his naval program,
France did not figure in it. The
whole discussion was conferred on
Great Britain, Japan. the United
States. France and Italy were set
aside with the casual remark that
it was not thought necessary to
discuss their tonnage allowance at
that time.
Thinks Hughes Lacked Tact.
Did Mr.. Hughes lack a little in
tact and understanding when he
confined his opening speech to
three nationsy I think that the
after events point that way. To
have invited eight nations here
and to have spoken to but two at
the start was a good deal like in
wiling eight guests TO dining ia
BILE and talking to but two of them
through the meal. The oversight,
il that's the proper word for il, was
forgotten, II noticed by anyone in
the really tremendous thing that
Mr.. Hughes did. The trouble is
that there is almost always one
among number OF neglected
guests that does feel It and does
not forget II.
The opening week OF the confer
ence kept France in about the same
position that she had on the open
ing day. She was not yet a prin-
cipal-and another point-and one
that is hard on the French-they
saw here what they began to see
in Paris in 1919 and so openly re-
sented there-that English is TAX
ing the place Of French as the Ian
guaGe of diplomacy. There is no
mistake about this, and don't
wonder that all Frenchmen resent
IT. At the opening day every dele
gate except NJ. BRAND. spoke in
English: the French translations
which followed each speech were
made purely out Of compliment to
the French delegation. NJ. BRAND
is one of not a few in France who
VIII take no pains whatever to
learn a word of English. For the
last two years he has been con-
stantly in conferences with LLOYD
George. he has had most of that
time. the remarkable interpreter.
M Camarlynck, who has so dis
tnguished himself here, at his
side In all this time he has not
learned a word OF English, although
Lloyd George, who at the start, I'M
derstood no French. at all. Is now
able to follow closely the argu-
ments in French, and even at times
Win correct or question the phras-
ing or the translation into English.
The French are not a race that
conceal their feelings. An English
man. an American. Is apt to accuse
ANYBODY who does not cover I'd dis
appointment or resentment, of being
poor sport. Frances chief contempt
Tor the Anglo-Saxon is that he is
not out and out with everything:
tnat ne has reticences and reserves
conceals his dislikes, his vices, his
emotions. The French showed that
they were disappointed. They did not
mix freely; they did not use the ample
onces prepared for them in the annex
to the Pan American Building, where
the delegates sat, although every
other nation was making more or
less use OF these quarters. They
Insisted on conducting all their press
meetings in French alone, although
every other nation when Il put up
somebody who did not speak English,
provided a translator. The result
was that the French press meetings
were sparsely attended.
And then came NJ. Brands speech,
which caused the first conference
crisis. Ever since this speech was
made I've been listening to people
remake 1t, giving their idea Of how
ne might have used the same mat
ter and carried his audience with
MIN, giving them the impression of a
courageous people, as they really ere.
intent on only the restoration of
their tormented and suffering land
ana willing to do their part to re-
store the rest OF the world-their
minds on peace. Instead Mr.. BRAND
gave an impression of a land in
panic, Its mind centered on dangers
from a conquered enemy. It was
FRANCE sdnoldnte that he held in up-
raised arms before the conference. a
bleeding France at whom rayenin-
German and Russian wolves were
swapping and threatening.
EIercfsed Dramatic Power
All his powerful orator.. his
wealth Of emotional gesture, urraised
arms, tossed black locks, rolling head,
tortured features, all these M. BRAND
brought into play in his efforts to
arouse the conference to share the
fears Of France. He could act do
II. He was talking to peoplc as
wen informed as himself ON the |
actual facts of Europe, tut peop,e |
who are not interpreting those Facts |
as the French ara HA x.- fal.kr~