MR. COOLIDGE WON’T PLAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 5 February 1926, Page 4

MR. COOLIDGE WON’T PLAY.

At oue time or another most of us have encountered the small boy who ret uses to have any share in the game unless ho can choose his own part—usually the most prominent. The President of the United States seems now to have adopted a like attitude to the proposed international discussion on disarmament. To-day’s cables report that Mr. Cooli<lgo is disappointed at the postponement of the forthcoming- conference at Geneva, and has now revived the idea of calling another Washington arms conference. Several reasons are given for this characteristic turn which the American ‘‘disappointment’’ has taken, but the chief appears to be that the President “desires to fulfil his 1924 election pledge to assume the leadership in world disarmament.” Poor dear! Did urns want to be king of the castle? It is impossible to doubt the sincerity of Air. Coolidge’s hopes foi further disarmament, but before he can translate his hopes into reality he must break away from the shackling idea that the century-old Monroe Doctrine is to be for all time America’s guiding principle in foreign affairs. Participation at Geneva might “draw the United States into European disputes.” Draw her in, forsooth! She needed very little drawing when there was good gold to be made from European disputes. The Americans are a fine people and a great nation, but they are seriously handicapped sometimes bj the selfishly restricted horizon of their politicians.