PROSPERITY OF AMERICA

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1926, Page 9

PROSPERITY OF AMERICA

THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE PRESENT POLICY PRAISED ADVICE TO THE CONGRESS By Telegraph—Tress Assn.—Copyright. Received Dec. 8, 5.5 p.m. Washington, Dec. 7. President Coolidge’s annual message to Congress counselled the Legislature not to grant any farm relief that would put the Government into business or the production, marketing or price-fixing of farm products. It also opposed any permanent tax reduction, but favoured a refund next year. President Coolidge again stressed the need for economy and warned the country against extravagant new ventures. He unrolled a panorama of the Gocernment’s vast business, emphasised general peace and prosperity of the country, the absence of any major diplomatic troubles and the desire of America to continue her policy of non-aggressive armament. His recommendations for the coming year included the limitation of expenditure to those matters of most urgent necessity for the discussion of agriculture and evolving a plan to meet the farmers’ needs. The President also recommended placing the merchant marine under a single responsible head, endeavouring to induce Americans to ship in United Btates bottoms, the creation of a board to deal with radio problems, the development of the Philippines economically, but not to turn them back until the natives were politically and economically fitted to assume control, the continuation of the policy of having the army and navy on a peace force footing and paying special attention to cruisers, submarines and aviation. President Coolidge also urged the rapid discharge of the war debt obligations and the avoidance of competitive armaments. He advocated the careful and speedy enactment of supplementary legislation for enforcing prohibition, declaring: “Persons who dissent from prohibition have access to orderly methods of seeking a change in the constitution, but all should obey the law.” e The President urged the promotion of “understanding and goodwill between ourselves and all other peoples.” Regarding the general condition of the country he said it was impossible to characterise it as other than one of general peace and prosperity. "In some quarters,” he said, “our diplomacy is vexed with difficulty, and as yet unsolved problems, but nowhere are we met with armed conflict. If some occupations and arenas are not flourishing, in none does there remain any acute chronic depression. What the country requires is not so much new policies as the steady continuation of those which are already being crowned with abundant success.” The message did not mention the World Court or Mexico. The President suggested coal control legislation, adequate military and naval preparedness, the support of the Geneva preliminary conference and other movements for the reduction of competitive armaments, radio control under the Department of Commerce, the return of alien property and anti-lynching legislation.