The New York herald., 1922-06-14
JUSSERAND REPLIES
TO FRANCES CRITICS
Declares His Country Shows
More Leniency Than Ger
many Did in 1870.

CHICAGO, June 1S.--The course of
France with respect TO reparations. her
army and her part at the arms confer
ence were defended by Jules ]. Jusser-
and. the French Ambassador to the
United States, in an address to-day at
the commencement exercises OF the Uni
versity of Chicago.
when reparations are spoken Of
he said. ''you will often hear people say
or imply: Are not the French too ex-
acting? Could they not show more
mercy?
They wish they could. but how can
they? It is a question of overlooking
the victim 80 as 70 spare the aggressor.
Somebody must pay for those recon
structions. why should it be those on
whom they We're inflicted? Toward the
enemy we have been more lenient than
they were in 10. when the fortune OF the
war had been favorable to them. They
made us pay for what the war had cost
them: as a compensation for the inn
mense treasure we had to spend in this
war TO defend ourselves against their
unprovoked attack. we ask nothing.
For the rest, their duty is to make good.
French Military POifcy.
France is a militaristic country. you
may have heard she keeps an enormous
army: why does she?" he continued.
First. she does not her army is not an
enormous one and ii Is steadily de-
creasing year by year military service.
which before the war was of three years,
Is now of eighteen months and will soon
be. il no untoward event interferes, OF
one year.
"Our military expenses reached during
the last year of the war 1918 the colossal
sum of $4,000. 100000 francs: for
famous as we are as thrifty nation
we cease to be so when the country is
in danger. In 1918 the expenses were
5000, 900, 900 francs. in 1920 100000
600, in 1921 $500. 100000, in 1922 $780,
900, 900.
"The number Of our soldiers, which
had reached seven or eight million
during the war. has been gradually re-
duced and will be more and more. 1t is
expected that next year only $4,000
will be left, colonial and native troops
included.
"A good deal has been said on the oc-
casion of the Washington conference
about our supposed naval ambitions"
the Ambassador added. The country
was filed for a while with protests,
which were not. most Of them, truth TO
say, American protests. Our ambitions
were in reality modest ones and aimed
only at resuming in this respect, as well
as for trade, industry, agriculture, &c..
the rank we had held before the war.
In reality we were the only nation who
came to the conference having put into
practice its spirit and principles before
even there had been question of
conference.
Attitude Concerning Submarines.
Much was also said and written
about the attitude OF France con-
cernng submarines much that was sad
to listen to and sad to read; but which
did not come either. most of it, from
American lips or pens. We have been
described as being in favor of the ruth
less warfare practiced by the Germans
which is untrue; as having passion
for the submarine, an engine, 1t was
said, of no use but for the destruction
of innocent merchant ships. and so on.
. As for Nur own real views con-
cerning this new war machine, | think
they cannot be better expressed than
in the following words:
The submarine, as a means of war,
has very vital part to play 1t las
come to stay. AS a scout the sub
marine has great possibilities. SUBJ
marines acting legitimately from bases
in our distant possessions would harass
and greatly disturb an enemy attempt
ing operations against them. 1t will be
impossible to protect our two long coast
lines properly at all times. Submarines
located at bases along both coasts will
be useful as scouts and to attack an
enemy who should desire to make raids
on exposed positions The retention of
a large submarine force may at some
future time result in (our) holding
(our) outlying possessions
This is exactly what we think.
nothing more, nothing less. Those
words are not, however, quoted from
any French authority: they are ex-
tracted from the report unanimously
voted by the American advisory council
of the conference of Washington. Our
views and the American views stand
rarely very much apart"