PEACE AND AMERICA.

Auckland Star, Issue 291, 9 December 1925, Page 7

PEACE AND AMERICA.

MR. COOLIDGE ON LOCARNO.j THE WILL FOB DISARMAMENT. U.S.A. ATVD WORLD BURDENS. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Cppyrlght.) (Received 10.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 8. In his annual message to Congress the President, Mr. Calvin Coolidge, said that although the Locarno agreements do not in themselves provide the economic rehabilitation which is necessary for the of Europe, they diminish the need for great armaments by strengthening the guarantees of peace. "If the energy which now goes into military effort is transferred to productive endeavour," said the President, "it will greatly assist economic progress. When these agreements are finally adopted th°y will provide guarantees of peace that will make the present reliance upon force in some parts of Europe very much less necessary. " "The Locarno Pact represents the success of the policy of leaving Euroiae to settle her own difficulties. A reduction in land armaments is peculiarly a European problem, and the United States will look with gratitude on any action that might make for a reduction in our own armaments. "As regards American participation in a European conference to deal with that matter, I am of the opirtion that America would not care to attend if for any reason the meeting promised to prove futile. "It seems clear that the reduction of armies rather than navies is of the first importance to the world at the present time. We shall look with great satisfaction upon that effort, and give it our approbation and encouragement. "If the reduction of armies can be settled we may easily consider a further reduction or limitation of naval armament. For that purpose our country has constantly, through its Executive and Tepeated Acts of Congress, indicated its •willingness to call such a conference under the sanction of Congress. "It would seem wise to take part in any conference of the great Powers for a limitation, of naval armaments as proposed, upon such conditions as would hold a fair promise of it being effective. "The general policy of our country is for disarmament, and we ought not to hesitate to adopt any practical plan which might reasonably be exoected to succeed. "Regarding the World Court we shall not find ourselves bearin? a disproportionate share of the world's burdens by our adherence, and we may as -well remember that therj is absolutely no escape for! our countrf from bearing its chare of the world's burdens. In any «ase we shall do far better service to •waives and others if we admit this •nd. discharge our duties voluntarily, than if we deny it and are forced to Bieet the same obligations unwillingly." V. and N.Z. Cable.)