NO MORE WAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10742, 13 November 1928, Page 3

NO MORE WAR.

AMERICA AWAKENS TO NEW DESTINY NO LARGE LAND FORCE NEEDED COOLIDGE’S ARMISTICE DAY ADDRESS United Proas Assn, by El. Tol. Copyrisrb [Australian Press Assn.) WASHINGTON. Nov. 11.. President C'oolidge, in an Armistice D : ay address here, made an important announcement of foreign policy. The President recounted American achievements of arms . in the war, and said: “The United States was the only country after the conflict that had much reserve power left. Our resources delivered Europe from starvation and ruin. 1 He denied that the United States made a profit out of the war. The United States’ expenditure on tho conflict would probably total £20,000,000,000 or half the entire wealth of the country when it entered the war. America’s benefits from the war were not material, but spirtual. “The people are» awake to the drum-beat of a new destiny” ho said “Every dictate of humanity constantly cries aloud that we do not want any more war. Eternally, questions are before the League oi Nations as to how to prevent war, and how to defend ourselves if. R comes. We do not know any nation which has ever been able to provide arms enough always to he at peace. It is our duty to ourselves and civilisation- to the preservation of domestic tranquility and to our orderly, lawful relations with foreign people, to maintain an adequate army and navy. We do not need a large land force. The situation is different when we turn to the sea.” SHIPS OF LARGE TONNAGE NEEDED

The President recounted the long coastline, foreign commerce “unsurpassed in importance”, and foreign investments to protect, and added: “But we are also bound by an international treaty to defend the Panama Canal. We require, becuse we have few fuel stations, ships of larger tonnage, and having scarcely any merchant vessels capable oi mounting sin. or Gin. guns it is obvious that, based on our needs, we are entitled to a larger number of warships than a nation having these advantages. “We called the Washington Conference for the purpose of a naval agreement*. It no doubt has some significance that foreign . Governments made agreements limiting the class of combat vessels in which we were superior, but refused limitation in the class in which they were' superior. We made altogether the heaviest sacrifices in scrapping work which was already in existence. That should for ever remain, not only a satisfaction to ourselves but a demonstration to others of . our good faith in advocating the principles of limitations.” The President, referring to the conference between Britain, Japan, and the United States, said: “The United States, there proposed a limitation of cruiser onnago of 250,000 to 300,000. The British, .as near as \ve could figure out their proposal, asked for from 425,000 to 600,000. No agreement was made, at is appeared useless to us to urge to so large a tonnage, which constituted not a limitation, but an extension of war fleets. . Referring to the rejection oi the Anglo-French agreement the President said: “Had we not done so, the French army and English navy would have been so near to. unlimited that the principle of limitations would be virtually abandoned.” President Coolidge praised the outlawry of war treaty* “While recognising to the lullest the duty of self defence, and not undertaking, as no human ingenuity could undertake, an absolute guarantee against war, it is the most complete, and will be the most effective instrument for peace ever devised”, . he said. “We can only say that this is the best that mortal man can do. It is beside the mark to argue that we should put no faith in it.” WAR DEBT CONTROVERSY

Taking up the reparations and war debts question, President Coolidge said: “AVe have heard an impressive amount of discussion concerning our duty to Europe. AA r e do have such duties, hut they are mutual.” He declared that (American loans to Germany have enabled her to pay reparations, but there was little reason for sending capital abroad while the rates for money in London and Paris were 4 to 5 per cent., while in the United States they were much higher. “England is placing very considerable loans abroad” he added, “France lias had large credits abroad, some of which have been called home. Roth are making very large outlays for military purposes. Europe, on the whole has arrived at a state of financial prosperity and stability where it cannot be said that we are called on to help, or act much beyond a strict business basis. The needs of our own people requnre that any further advances by us have the most careful consideration. “It would not only he sel&sh, but an entirely unenlightened view for the United States not to wish Europe to prosper. AVe want the investment of life and money which we made there to he to their benefit. AVe should like to have our Government debts all settled, though it is probable that we could better afford to lose them than our debtors could afford not to pay them. It lias always been plain that Europe and the United States are lacking in mutual understanding. AA T e .are prone to think that they can do as we can do, AVe are not .interested in their age-old animosities of violent hostilities. AVe have not suffered from centuries of violent hostilities.. AVe do not see how difficult it is for them to displace trust in each other with faith in each other. They, on the other hand, appear to think that we are going to do exactly what they would do if they had our chance.”

NO ADVANTAGE IN OUTLYING POSSESSIONS

Declaring that America is against Imperialism, the _ President said: ‘J America’s outlying possessions, with the exception of the Panama Canal, are a hindrance, hot an advantage. If ive could secure more complete reciprocity m goodwill, the final' liquidation .of the balance of our foreign debts., and "such!, further limitation of armaments as would be" commensurate with; the ; treaty renouncing war, qur confidence in the'. effectiveness of ■ any additional on onr part to assist in the Turther progress-, of; Europe would be greatly increased.” ! -f ‘