The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-23
THINKS AMERICA
 COULD TAKE LEAD
President Sees Prosperity For United States In
 Stability Abroad
SPEECH BROADCAST
 BY. II STATIONS
Praises Associated Press For Unbiased Publication Of
 World News

NEW YORK, April 22.-The prom-\ ise of efforts to bring about another world conference to attempt further limitation of armament was given by President Coolidge in an address today at the annual luncheon of the Asso- ciated Press.
 Such efforts, the President declared, must be predicated upon the firm estAb- lishment of a definite settlement of German reparations. With this ef- fected, America would be in position to take the lead in promoting an inter- national conference.
 The President expressed the belief that the proposed conference might well be based on the theory of the Wash ington conference of a few years ago, which he called to mind, had to leave unsolved the question of submarines, aircraft and land forces. The eonFer- ence, he asserted, might well take up the codification of internal1onal law with an attempt to establish rules of warfare and to determine the rights of neutrals.
 While emphasizing that Europe must first set her economic house in order, MT. Coolidge said there appeared to be every reason to hope that the report of the reparatiOn commissions commit tee of experts offers a basis for a prac- tical solution of the separations prob- lem" He noted that 'the allies are looking upon it with full sympathy and Germany has expressed a willingness to cooperate in the execution of the plan," he added:
 Il trust that it may commend itself to all the European governments in- terested as a method through mutual concessions, they can arrive at stable settlement of the intricate and vexa- tious problems of separations and that such an outcome will provide for the restoration of Germany and the larg- 7est possible paymSnts to the other coun- tries"
 To Keep Independence
 The President declared that while America had determined to maintain her political independence, the coun- try's economic independence would be strengthened and increased when the economic stability of Europe is re- stored" America already had done much toward such restoration by the work of the three American experts on the reparation commissions commit tee, he added, and as a further step he proposed that private American capital participate in the loan to Germany con- templated in the committees report. Such participation, he suggested, would benefit American trade and commerce and provide a market for American agricultural production.
 The President spoke directly to 1000 persons, including the editors and pub fishers of most of the country's leading newspapers, and to unnumbered mill lions through II of the most powerful radio broadcasting stations, linked di- rectly through more than seven thou sand miles of wire with the ball room of the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, where the luncheon was held.
 1000 At Luncheon
 Frank B. Moves, president of the Associated Press and publisher of the Washington Star, introduced MT. Cool idge as one possessing ito a superla- tive degree the faculty and the desire to make absolutely clear his matured
 (COntinued On Back Page)