Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-23
noN THE THEME OF SERVICE

ION The THEME OF SEHviCE
The public addresses of President
Coolidge have been few. That given
before the meeting of the members Of
the Associated Press in New York.
Tuesday, has been awaited with in
" terest. Those who have expected 1t
to reveal magic cure-all for the
worlds woes will be disappointed.
, On the other hand those who hoped
for assurance that the hands on the
tiller OF the ship Of state are not fall
tering. but remain firm of grasp and
under the control of master MARI
= ner find their hope fulfilled.
What the owners of some twelve
hundred newspapers have been able
q to accomplish by cooperation in SER
vice through the medium Of The AS
ISOLATED Press is remarkable in many
ways. Newspapers meeting in a
. competitive field, though Of different
political faiths and under manage
nents differing in many respects,
have been able to unite in effort to
the end that their readers shall have
a worldwide service, non-partisan.
unbiased and accurate; a service in
no other known way obtainable, and
This through the agency of a staff de-
Voted to service and bound not to de-
HE the news by which they live.
Here, at hand, was a theme and
% President Coolidge graciously ana
fkhngly accepted and applied 1t. A
feature of his candid review Of gov
ernmental affairs pertained to the
settlement of world conditions and
the ways in which this country has
been and can continue to be Of SER
vice. He sees that our presence at
the treaty table softened the terms,
that the suggestions of Harding and
Hughes are bearing fruit in the re-
markable work of the Dawes COM
mission. He expects from this an
opportunity for American capital to
come to Europc's aid in the recon-
struction OF peace, opening the way
to frequent international confer
erces, impractical right now but in
view OF what was accomplished in
the Washington conference, an inter-
national endeavor of much promise
He sees great value to come from
world courts or tribunals in the ad-
justment of relations but he would
not deceive with the promise of pre-
vention of war. "If the will of the
world is evil. then there is no arti-
Zee by which we can protect the ma
. tons from evil results" Complete
, independence means complete coor-
. dination and cooperation" But he
, would not have the principle of SER
vice COMPOUNDED with weak sentiment
. talfsm.
He sees clearly that our first duty
Sfs-to ourselves. that our great hope
lies in developing what is good His
courage does not falter because he
firmly believes this country is fun
damentally sound. but, he would not
have us forget that our danger is In
= failure to maintain our ideals. His
wv hNSiif aiHis VI tIit COu-
dltions through which we have been
passing, the degeneracy of personal
sacrifice TO sordid seeking. is helpful
and assuring. We are enabled to see
with the vision Of one acquainted
WITH the situation. ono who has the
fao4s and tho good sense to weigh
them discriminatory, one who ar
rives at his conclusion by patient
study and reflection, undisturbed by
the clamor all about him. and upheld
by the faith which inspires Amer.-
cans when put to the test. So 1t
comes about that his Is the conclu-
sion Of one who understands the or
tief1y processes of growth and de-
velopment tho processes of nature.
Those who preach development by
earthquake and commissions will ar
ffvu~ at other conclusions, as might
be expected.