New-York tribune., 1920-10-23
First Aid L. g.,
Then Europe,
Says Coolidge
Massachusetts Governor i'm
His Speech at Richmond
B1alnes Administration
for High Living Cost
Opposes Waiver of Debts
Let Foreign Nations Pay
Their War Obligations,
Declares the Candidate
From a sto0 Corrcspondent

From a Sto0 Correspondent
RICHMOND, Va, Oct. 22.-America' 8
duty is to solve its own economic prob
lens before attempting to reconstruct
Europe, Governor Calvin Coolidge de-
clared day in his campaign through
Virginia. He asserted that the high
cost of living was due largely to the
unwisdom of the present Admnistra-
ton in sending billions of dollars
worth of food and clothing to Europe
at a time when these supplies we're
needed at home
The Republican party, the Governor
said, is pledged TO build up America
first and foreign countries afterward
The party will not look with favor on
the suggestion that the Allies war
debts to this country be cancelled, he
added
The Governors tour to day took him
into several towns regarded as Demo
cratic strongholds. He spoke in Rich
mond tonight before an audience
which rendered him an ovation.
HeCkler Answered
At South Boston, Va, the Governors
special train stopped because the town
bears the same name as the Massachu-
setts capital.
The specchmaking in South Boston
was interrupted by the first hcckling
experienced since the party left Wash
ington last Sunday. Governor Morrow
of Kentucky who, with Governor Low
den of Illinois and Job E. Hedges, of
New York. is making rear platform
speeches, had launched an attack on
the League of Nations when somebody
in the crowd yelled: We'll, tell US what
Lodge and Root want-more war;"
"l'll tell you what they want re-
piled Governor Morrow. "They want
an enforcement Of the principles first
voiced by Nirginia's most illustrious
citizen, George Washington. They want
to keep this country free from en-
tangling foreign alliances. They want
to prove the right Of free people to
refuse to send its soldiers to fight the
wars of other nations"
Referring to the high cost OF living,
Governor Coolidge said the present
Administration had neglected every op-
portunity to relieve it. You would have
thought the government would have
taken every precaution to lift the bur
dens heaped upon our people, he con-
tinued. "Yet $4,000 100000 worth Of
supplies were sent to Europe and sold
there for 100000. or onc-tenth
their cost. At a time when sugar was
selling for 20 cents a pound IN this
country we sold 22,O0000O pounds to
France for , cents a pound. Hal those
supplies been kept here they would ma
tcrially have reduced the cost of living.
"Most of our economic unrest is due
to the refusal of the present Adminis-
tratlon to relinquish its wartime pow
efs. While here in Virginia, am re-
minded that Washington, Immediately
after the Revolutionary War, appeared
before the Continental Congress to
give up the power intrustcd to him.
But our present Administration. almost
two years after the armstice. still
chngs to its power, although ,everal
times the Republican Congress las
tried to restore the country to a peace
time basis"
Sympathy for Wilson
Governor Coolidge told his audience
IN Richmond that Senator HarMg up
IOioS the views OF aShlngtOn and JET
ferson, rather than those of Woodrow
Wilson. He added:
"Allow me here. in the state that
gave him birth and that has added his
name as the eighth of her sons to at
tam the Presidency, to express she SYM
pathy of Massachusetts and the SYM
pathy of the party of which | am a
member to President Wilson in his ill.,
ness, and to express the hope of his
speedy and complete recovery"
Concerning the Allies war debts to
this country, the Governor said: ."rhe
suggestion has been made that che ten
or twelve billions of debts due to us
from abroad should be cancelled. It
seems to NE that if that amount of
money Is going to be given away it
should be given, not to foreigners. but
to Americans.
THE destiny of the world will have
TO be worked out by hard and persistent
efforts. The people abroad viii have TO
work out their own salvation, as we
snail have to work out ours, not throuqh
the ministrations of charity. bnt
through each meeting their own obliga-
tions."