DISARM MENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1921, Page 1

DISARM MENT.

niUAND’s DRAMATIC SPEECH. 1 Tlft-ritA Ua \ AM) N. 7.. CAIII.E ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON, November 21. This morn ini' the Disarmament Conference traversed the expected course. Mi. Briand (France) made a long and moving speech, in wliicli he reviewed the special conditions in Europe, which, he said, would prevent France from making land disarmament. |-Ie foreshadowed, however, his Governinest’s decision to halve the three years’ military training, and also automatically to reduce the army proportionately. Mr Balfour, Admiral Kato, Signor Schanza, and Mr Hughes all expressed their warmest sympathy, and they all assured France that the Allies still stood together in the cause ol 1 peace world liberty, and freedom of nations. FRANCK’S WISHES. M. Briand thanked the conference for this opportunity of presenting France’s ease. France was. ho said. rnor,. ready than any other country to direct hei attention to the steps ensuring the final peace of tin- world. France was ready to make si.-rificCs to tin- fullest extent possible, hut she also had her own notional security to consider. -[f you want to mala- peace,” he saili. "there must be two people willing thereto—yourself and your neighbour. 'Besides physical disarmament, indeed, t her,, must he a moral disarmament. "The renditions prevailing in Europe compel France.” said M. Briand. “to contemplate them from the point of view of her own security. Some people say that the war is over, and that peace has been signed, and il Germnnv has reduced her army, why should Franc,, maintain a large army .-’ Tt has been said that Franco wants to have a military supremacy on Europe filling the position to wliioli Germany aimed. That is the most cruel, the saddest and most disheartening thing to suppose. France is not oajstble of wishing to renew the horrors of war. France wants peace with all her faith, hut. there have been many disappointments since the Armistice. • France has -cm Germany h.-ig-de over lu-r pledg'd word; iof use to pay reparations arid, refuse to disarm. Inder this provocation. France has remained perfectly onlm. Franco, in hef heart, lias no hatred of Germany: but we have no right to weaken our position. ns that, would give rise, to certain hopes in Germany. There is one part of Germany for peace, and it especially is among the working classes. For that part of Germany we will <lu everything we can. to help to restore her to the comity of democratic peoples; hilt there is another Germany, a Germany with its thoughts and ambitions unchanged by the war. Franco has already witnessed several attempts by Germany to return to her old militarism. and the Gorman military lenders still declare that war is a cornerstone that Germany is still doing her utmost to keep alive. How can France close her eves to this?” Dealing with the physical aspects of disarmament M. Briand said: G'iinany not only has seven million men who have passed through the war, training, hut in the Rpiehwehr and in her other organisations, ostensibly for police purposes, but really ready for war. she has forces of nearly ball a million, almost entirely composed of officers and non-commissioned officers of the old regular army, wlh, could be got at a moment’s notice. France recognises that Herr Wirth. the German Chancellor, is a man of goodwill, who has endeavoured to maintain a state of peace, hut the German Government., is to-day weak as against the outside forces. Germany can raise in a few

weeks. or oven' :) few days an army of six or seven million effectives. with trained officers.” CKinrANV’S WAR M .ATFIU ai.. Continuing M. Briand said: "l »- dmibtedlv Germany lias destroyed a great many tin ns. some under the Allies’ supervision, lmt the problem of war material for Germany is easily solved. Germanv is a vast manufaoluring country, whor,. there, are plans designed to have everything ready to ensure a speedy output of war material. France has to-day ninny homes in mourning and she lias. too. many disabled men. <r\Ve do not intend to leave France defenceless. And what of the rest oi Fmono? Russia is boiling over with anarchy. She has an army of .100.000 men. She attempted. 18 months ago, a wild rush through Poland. Tf the Polish barrier had not held. where would France and the rest of Europe lie to-day? ‘■The thought of reducing our army lias l>een constantly in the mind of the French Government, which has now taken the responsibility for reducing the military service from three to two years. There are now only tw. classes under the flag.” “In carrying ont its pledge.”' he said, "the French Government would announce in a few days that it would further reduce the military service t< half its former strength. Tf anyone asked them to consent to any turthei reductions. France must answer that is impossible. AVo appeal to your consciences! Tf France is to remain alum facing the situation, which T have described. you must not deny her tin

right to do what she is doing. 11k time has not come for France to dinar,,,. AVc need to know whether Franc, is not alone, so as to dispel the poi SOUGHS propaganda that is designed ti create suspicion among the Allies peace would come much quicker if Per many is told that France does not stan, alone.” After M. T!riand’s speech, delegate of all nations spoke in warm appreoia tinn of and sympathy with France. TRMOTES TO FRANCE. Mr Balfour paid a tribute to the elo quenco and power of M. Brinnd’

speech, which hud placed before the Conference the inmost thoughts of this great statesnmn. Mr Ihilfour sttiil he most sorrowfully admitted that -M. liriand's speech was not hopeful regarding a reduction of land armaments. Why did the Conference look forward with serene oonlidence to m riving at some conclusion of the great naval prnhlem of disarmament '• Because there was it moral disarmament on. which physical disarmament could Imild. Mr Halfour said France had no assurance front linssia and (termany of ;t moral disarmament. .M. litiaml, he said, seemed to have some Icars that France would Ik 1 left in moral isolation. "That,” said Mr Halfour, "would he tragic indeed.” (Applause). That the liberties of Kuropo, and of France in particular, should he maintained and guarded against the dominating policy of her Fasten! neighbours was a cause for which the British Fmpiro had fought, and in which the liritish Fmpiro still believed. The British Kmpire had lost nearly I,(HHt,(MHI men, and had over 2,000.11011 wounded. "If the cause yyns worth this stteritice,” lie said, "how could we see this cause for which we have done so much, perish before our eyes, rather than make any further sacrifice!'" ITALY'S YIKW. Sigiioi Si 1 ianzei■ said that Italy was still morally on the Kivncli side, hut la ■■■. reseed the hope th.it the Conference would consider rettuetiou oi land ai mateoitls as essential to promoting a world pence. Italy lad .uccccded in coming to an understanding with Serbia. Italy's police wa- not only one ol peace to her Inrni. t enemies, hut one ot a- s i.stance. Italy had considerably curtailed her natal cxpenditiiie, and cep land forces did not. exceed "I HM * It). .1A BAN'S SYM BATH V. B.atoil Kato said that Japan enter mined profoundesl sympathy with France’s peculiar and difficult posilion. and appreciated the great sacrifices she had made in the cause of peace, dapan was ready to announce her hearty approval of the principles of reducing Land armaments to the demands of national senility and ol the miunteiiance of order. It was nut an easy task to lay duii'ii a general scheme, dapan leid not tie slightest intent ion of maintaining a kind army greater than was !'<■■ it y im defi. "ai e purposes. liKUiIl'M/S ATTITI'IH'.. M. Cartiers said Belgium kept her a nil v at the level .strictly necessary lor 'hei national security and she could not make any further reductions. L'.S.A. POLICY. Mi Hughes, summing up the discussion, said hi' welcomed this opportunity for staling the position in icgard to the policy of ti c t ailed States. No words ever spoken by France hav< fallen on deaf ears In America. Tlieii earth thrilled with the sail ia e which France had made. The memory of her stand for liberty would lie imperishable in America. it wa- evident that what was essential this time to achieve tlieii great ideal, was a will In peace, until the institution, ol liberty and justiie were secure against all attack, lie emphatically declared that there was not any moral isolation lor the defenders ol liberty and justice. ' Applause'. They had Indore them a complete statement. With a lull appreciation of all the dangers threatening France, therclorc, they should mi ci the case to the utmost praeti'-al extent. They could not foresee what practical measure might he available at ■die Conference, but i.e was confident that t lieie w ould he generated a disposition to preserve a which military measures would never supply. When that was effected peaiv would he enduring in their midst. FBAN'CF'S HAY. WASHINGTON. Nov. 2! It was France's Hay to-day. 'lbis iiioining a plenary meeting awaited with impatience M . Itiiaud, w ho. speaking clnuiif ut ly and fervent l.v, with a wealth o! (iallic gestures, tones, and strong motion, outlined to a deeply impressed audience France s position in KumjH* and tin* condition d* antrv. lie was for following the lead ojvon 111 naval disarmament, hut he avoided spx'iilic figure's till learning fully the intentions of the French Covet nmnit. It should lie pointed out that limitation id the French Army icaolcd o\einight) will follow irtlnma 1 . ically on the reduction of the term of service with the colours. HKNF.It AH It FA' I KW. In opening the proceedings to-day. Mr Hughes announced that gratifying progress' had been made both regarding disarmament and the Fai hasteni ipiestions -nice the last open meeting. The former matter was proceeding lavourahly. (In the reports from (lie leehnienl experts of the suh-eommiUoes regarding the Far Fast, said Mi Hughes, most important declarations had been made bv the principal Bowers coileenied. Though lie had nothing I'm the ~salient to report, lie was jilt si lied iti laying that the expectations of expedition and thoroughness had been »u.ie than realised. The question of land armament, Mr Hughes stall'll, icmained for ciiiisideratioii. In this the Ini ted States had no ! Their traditional policy was . thal'tlieii military estahlishment should ' be oil the smallest possible basis. I<>- ' day, though four millio " \>»>\ uiohiUsed during the war, the t’.S.A. An.iv amounted in only ll'.n.nui; hut he fullv i enllseil the special difficulties iaeiiig the existence of miliiury forces ! in Furope, and he understood the apprehension of the various countries. I The Conference regarded it as litting . that an opportunity should he allord- - ed to discuss these questions. All Hie l delegates wished for a full explanation ~,f these matters to he- presented to the '