Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-13
REPLY OF FRANCE
TO LIMIT PARLEY
BRAND Ready to Talk, But
Reserves Decisions-ItaIy
in Same Mood.
By the Associated Press.

~@NSS~~@s~A
PARIS, February 12.-The French
government is ready to associate itself
with any movement tendingn to dis
| armament, NJ. BRAND, foreign minister
declares, but the problems are difficult
M. BRAND points out that the League
of Nations committee worked on this
problem for a long time, but that the
| conference proposed by President
Coolidge Of the five great naval powers
would be inadequate on account of
the Mediterranean. in which Spain,
Greece, Turkey and Russia are in.
terested.
The semi official Havas agency is
authority for the statement that the
French reply to President Coolidge
will declare that it presents two incon-
veniences. These are. that first. while
recognizing the arbitrary existence of
two categories of powers, the subject
OF naval disarmament applies to only
one category, the others escaping the
risk, thus leading to injustice, and
second, that the proposal is contrary
to the fundamental principles Of the
interdependencee of land, sea and air
industrial and economic forces.
Supports Geneva Commission.
The reply. according a. Havas, al6D
points our that Il bgicai to throw
- sensva IL at & sIsol ;entF II when 4 Is Is
70 arrive at q PRACTICAL con-
TI1AeN cdes,aers That Tn armed
forces of.a country ausk be 3rolled
in all domains to assure efficieN N44apd
durable work. 1t views. diSarmai4g d
as impossible II the object and THE
number of subjects are limited.
France thus may sit in at the Cool.
idge disarmament party, but apparent.
ly her disposition is to leave her
treaty-signing pen at home. Diplomat
ic politeness presupposes acceptance,
however unwilling. but the serious
reservations" expressed by the cabinet
today are construed as portending
strong disagreement with the Amer
lean view.
French Action Tomorrow.
When the French cabinet acts on
the invitation Monday, 1t will have
before it the report Of M. Paul Bon
cour. who strongly opposes the Amer
lean plan. AS reporter Of the League
of Nations Disarmament Commission.
M. Paul Boncour represents France.
His opposition is generally shared by
French leaders and the newspapers.
The French feel that they did not
get the treatment they expected at
the first Washington naval confer.
ence, and distinctly dread another
session. Their ideas, expressed at
Geneva, are squarely opposed to those
of President Coolidge, and no one here
has mentioned any reason for aban.
doning this position. AS M. Paul Bon.
cour's attitude at Geneva is con.
trolled by the government, his ideas,
it is to be supposed, will have much
weight.
Piecemeal Work Opposed.
He disagrees with those who say
that the League of Nations commits
sion is not getting anywhere, and he
recalls also that at Geneva it was
France which championed the idea
of interdependence Of land. sea and
air forces, which the commission
adopted against American opposition.
He is distinctly adverse to piece
meal limitation and says that the
Americans might have presented their
naval plan at the Geneva sessions
they attended.
Frances reply will be drafted by
Foreign Minister BRAND and will be
presented for final approval OF the
cabinet Monday.