BRIGHTER VISTA

Northern Advocate, 4 December 1929, Page 5

BRIGHTER VISTA

INTERNATIONAL AMITY WORLD COURT MEANING. HOOVER. STATESMANSHIP,. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph-Copyright.) (Received 8.35 a.m.) WASHINGTON, This Day.

President Hoover, in his annual address to Congress, said’that the foundations for future peace were being substantially strengthened through the Kellogg-Briand Pact. Referring to the Court of International Justice, he said; “I believe it will be clear to everyone that no controversy or question in which this country has or claims interest can be passed on by the World Court without our , mnsent at the time the question arises. Our adherence to International Court is, as now constituted, not the slightest step towards entry into the League of Nations. I shall direct that our signature be affixed to the protocol of adherence.

“We have 1 joined the conference te discuss further limitation and reduction of naval arms. We hold high hopes that success may attend this effort. “I recommend Congress to give earnest consideration •to the possibilities of prudent action which may give relief from our continuously mounting military expenditure. We undertake never‘to use war as an instrument of national policy. We have therefore undertaken to use these equipments solely for defensive purposes. From the defence point of view, our forces should be proportioned to national need, and should therefore to some extent be modified by the prospects of peace, which were never brighter than today. 5 ’ Commenting on the national budget, the president said that the appropriations recommended for the fiscal year 1931 totalled £726,000,000, compared with £795,000,000 in the present fiscal year. The President commented bn the large degree of prosperity the country was enjoying and the wave of uncontrolled speculation resulting in diversion of capital from business to the stock market, with the inevitable crash. He pointed out that capital hitherto absorbed by speculation was now returning to normal channels,and through measures already undertaken confidence should bo re-established and wages should -remain stable. ,Tho; President -advocated important administrative changes to assure better enforcement of the Eighteenth Amendment. He indicated that an attempt wouldyajso be made to more effectively control organised crime. Referring to naval President Hoover said: “If wo shall be compelled to undertake construction as implied in the Washington. Arms Treaty as well as ; other r construction which would appear to be necessary if an international agreement is net completed, we shall bo 1 committed during the next six years expenditure , approximating .one billion two hundred millions dollars, besides necessary further increase in the cost of annual upkeep. ” The President contended that the counfry could well -be deeply concerned at the growing expense of national defence. While its forces were comparatively small, the expenditures were in excess of the most highly militarised nations of the world.

Discussing the tariff, he' asked for an effective ' impost on agricultural products and some limited changes in the industrial schedules. He reiterated that he desired the broad principle of the flexible provision of the pending bill to bo retained. (The President's views in this connection were recently disregarded by the Senate.)