Evening star., 1923-07-03
USE WEALTH NOW,
IS HARD|NG'S PLEA
False Economy to Lock Up
Nations Resources, He
Tells Spokane Audience.
Blythe Associated Press.

By'the Associated Press
SPOKANE. Wash. July 8.-Presi.
dent Harding delivered an address
on development of natural resources
TO an audience that overfiowed the
state armory seating about 1900
people. here last night
The chief executive was introduced
by Gov. Hart and was cheered heart
n.y. He began speaking at $40
O'Clock. by saying that while he had
received pleasing welcome through
out his trip. nowhere has the greet
Ing been more - wholesome, more
courteous. or mose kindly than In
this great far west"
Before launching into his prepared
address. the President read a tele-
gram from Director Lord of the bud
get bureau. informing him of the
surplus OF $500, 100000 over expendi-
lures Tor the fiscal year. which ended
last Saturday.
Economy Point Applauded.
The announcement was loudly .ap-
pIauueo, and there also were chez
when the President commented that
the United States alone. OF all ma
tiohs. mad gotten back on the track
ana was living within it's income"
Departing from his prepared ad :
dress TO refer to his experience en-
route TO Spokane in driving an cleo
tric locomotive. Mr.. Harding pre-
dlcted that the transportation prob
rem or the country would be greatly
aided in Its solution by electrification
of the railways
Such a change in motive power
would come. the President further
preoicted. not only in the west, where
water could be utilized. but in the
east. through power plants erected
at the mouths OF mines
Appeals for Court.
Concluding his discussion of rec
laIhatlon problems. the President
again appealed for sentiment favor
aole 10 American adhesion to the per-
manent court of international Justice.
he repeated previously made as
sertlons that America was losing
some OF the spirit which impeIIed il
curing the war and that IL needed
new aspiration.
ouch an aspiration was the desire
10 prevent American involvement in
ahother war, the President went on
ana could be fulfilled through Amer
ican membership in the world court
Concluding at 9:20 o'clock. the Pres
ident declared he wished for an "ir-
reslstible expression of the conscience
of this country which viii lead the
senate to say, Aye, aye. we. too
want this court, 1t win lead to
peace.
Wants Gradual Development.
Gradual development of the ma.
tlons natural resources rather than
preservation of them in their original
state was advocated by President
Harding as the only conservation
pollcy TO which America dare COM
nit itself
The President, speaking on de
veiopment, reclamation and water
utlllzatlon. declared against locking
up the public domain "as a treasure
house OF potential wealth" on the
grounds that such action would pre-
vent 1t from being ready for use
when needed. He made it plain thai
he stood for gradual development
such as the use of water both for ir-
rigation and power and for a policy
OF reforestation that preserves the
national interest. while permitting
use of the timber as needed.
Mr.. Harding's address delivered In
the armory here, was the first he has
made on the Pacific slope since he
became President. He expressed the
belief that 1--WE may confidently look
forward to generation in which
wealths of the west will boast as
great population as the entire ma
tion number today"
The Chief Executive outlined nc
explicit reclamation program, but de-
clared: We must look for plans that
are safe; plans so conceived that they
Will not unduly burden the settler in
the days when he is reducing the land
to production; plans that will be rea-
sonably broad and that will not COM
NIT the government to unwise or un-
reasonable expenditures"
Mr.. ,Hardfn's address concluded
a nine-hour visit to Spokane, during
which he made an automobile tour OF
the business district. inspected the
dam site for the proposed Columbia
basin irrigation project and. was
shown a series of motion pictures OF
the Columbia basin. After the ad-
dress the presidential party left here
for Meacham, Ore, to participate in
the old Oregon trail celebration there
tomorrow
The President spoke. in part, as fol-
lows:
Wise Policy Needed.
1T has been in my mind during
these days of travel in the west to
express on some appropriate, occasion
few views regarding those prob
lens which we summon to our minds
under the headings of conservation
reclamation and development. Now
adays 1 think there is disposition to
change the order of terms and men
ton development first. Not that we
are any less devoted to conservation
but there is increasing realization
that in cur national development we
have reached the time when wise
programs for development in all parts
OF our domain must be encouraged.
Travelling about this country, and
somewhat also in. other countries, |