The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-24

President, Greeting Delegates,
Says Organization Meets
Great Moral Need.
By KENNETH CLARK,
international News service.

= 49,
international News service.
The hope Of real progress in
the future hes in the knowledge
that civilization is coming to
rely more and more upon moral
force" rather than armies and
naviea for the settIeme1 { 81 world
esid ent C5olitge de-
cIared today in an address before
the annual convention Of he
American Red Cross in Continen-
tai Memorial Hafl.
Red Cross Spiritual Force.
THE American Red Cross the
President continued, lis spiritual
conception of human relationship.
1t is life In obedience to the things
that are unseen.
Throughout history men have
been prone to put their trust in
other things and have failed. They
have sought for power through ma
terial resources alone. They have
thought it might be gained by the
accumulation of great riches. They
have attempted to rely upon naked
force of armies and navies, conquer
ing by the might of the sword.
They are necessary for security, as
police and criminal courts, and bolts
and bars are necessary.
They are adjuncts Of peace. But
they are negative forces. They do
not create, they resist. They are
not the ultimate force in the world
They do not make the final deter
mination among men. Over them is
a high power.
Need for Moral Force.
Mankind has not yet, cannot yet,
discard the use of those forces. It
is significant, however, that the
great nations have at last agreed
upon their limitation. But it is even
more significant that civilization is
coming to rely more and more upon
moral force"
In the spiritual conception of
world relationships, Mr.. Coolidge
pointed out, lies the hope Of real
progress. But the ideals of human
brotherhood and service and peace
ARE idle dreams. unless they can
be translated into action"
Advocates Middle Course.
ut is necessary, on the one
hand, to avoid the illusions OF the
Missionaries, and on the other hand,
the Indifference of the Selfish" he
said.
Each individual and each ma.
ton owe their first duty to them
selves. Beyond that, there is the
obligation of the strong to serve
the weak, but to administer such
service in a way that will not de-
stroy or degrade by making mendi.
cants, but will restore and strength.
en- by making character. 1t is the
policy which helps in an emergency
but realizes that, finally, each in
dividual and each nation must
work out their own DESTINY"
This was Mr.. Coolidge's first pub
lie address since he became Pres
ident AS president also of the Red
Cross. Mr. Coolidge formally opened
the convention which was attended
by more than a / 900 delegates
from all over the country. Members
of the Cabinet, a number of foreign
diplomats and many other Govern.
ment officials heard the Presidents
address.
lnLrOOuCeu 10 the uelSSdISS by
President Coolidge, Admiral Edward
w. Eberle, United States navy,
made an address chronicling the oc.
casions in which the American
Red Cross and the navy have co.
operated in rendering assistance in
times of need in every part of the
world.
Jap Gables Read.
Admiral Eberle proudly reminded
the delegates that 1t was the Amer.
lean destroyers which were the first
TO reach Japan after the recent
earthquake, and read sablegrans
from Japanese officials voicing
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