Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-06
Lodge Reviews u. S.
Accomplishments
Since Close of War

Liberty bonds, and the TACT that in
two years the public debt has been
reduced by three and half billion
dollars prove that the United States
is rapidly recovering from the
wounds of war, Senator Henry
Cabot Lodge declared tonight at the
annual dinner of the Massachusetts
State Chamber of Commerce at the
Copley PLAZA hotel.
"A nation that has paid off in two
years more than the sum-three bill
lion dollars-that represented the
total national debt OF the United
States at the close of the Civil war,
is u pretty solvent nation" Senator
Lodge said. This too, when we are
still SO close to the great CONFUSION
of the war"
Ia addition to the address of Sem
ator Lodge. who sketched briefly the
results of the Washington confer
ence, a special discussion of the
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence waterway
and power project was presented at
the dinner. Senator Joseph e. Rams
dell of Louisiana supported the St
Lawrence project, declaring that one
quarter of the population of the
country favored it, The negative
was championed by Congressman s.
Wallace Dempsey of New York.
Urging cooperation between Mas
sachusetts and the other New Eng
land states in the effort to remove
rate differences which. he said, dis
eliminated against New England
ports Senator Lodge declared there
had been little of such united effort
in the past.
Il am no admirer of sectional
groups or 'blocs'" he said, "but | do
think it the duty of every portion of
| the country to see that it receives
equality of treatment in all things
that are controlled by government or
laws. The great empire state of
New York has almost identically the
same interests as New England
great industrial communities, dense
population and dependence for its
prosperity largely on the business
that passes through the state. New
York has 43 members Of congress and
two senators. New England has 80
members of congress and u senators.
/ merely mention the figures TO show
that the two would make a pretty
formidable group if put together"
AS evidence Of a return to nor
malcy" in the country's business,
Senator Lodge cited, in addition to
higher bond prices and decreased
public debt 3 per cent drop in the
cost OF living in the past year, and
at the same time an advance in the
production of farm and Of the great
western agricultural region.
This may seem an anomaly" he
said. but it is merely that we are
getting back TO normal level, get
ting rid Of the enormous cost Of dis
tribution and reaching u sound level
of production and consumption.
Other things Will help in that same
direction. | am not prepared now to
make a tariff speech on the advan-
tages of protection because l don't
know just what is in the tariff, but
| hope it will be reported this week"
of the results of the Washington
conference Senator Lodge said that
they would. in his judgment, tend to
make world conditions more stable, in
! business as in other directions. Sum
marizing the work of the conferecs. he
concluded:
Il am far from saying that it IS a
final work that has been accomplished
that there will be 10 more wars
but it is concrete, substantial
| achievement.
| II have always believed that more
! could be done by the United States,
| free and untrammcled as She is. for the
peace OF the world and the welfare Of
: mankind than by any cthar country
| The United States is the one greet OBJ
stacle TO a return to chaos. And TIL"
| United States has not failed. She las
| taken the lead in this great work of
peace. Future times will number as one
| + her great achievements M act 'hat
sh7 took the lead and that she mad"
! this beginning. rendered this great
service to promote t." peace of the
! world and the greater happiness Of
! humanity"
Resolutions were adopted approving
; the treaties resulting from the Wash
| ington conference, expressing approval
| Of Governor Cox. the executive and leg
| islature of massachusetts, for reducing
! state expenditure by SS,Gh0,000 and
commencing the governor fer support
ing Bank Commissioner Joseph c. Al
, len in his policy with regard TO trust
; companies in the state. The chamber