Evening star., 1924-04-22
TEXT OF PRESIDENTS SPEECH
At ASSOCIATED PRESS MEETING

IT'S lIHauCeS are anu "ohh
managed, and that the business
interests of the nation, including
the owners, managers and en-
ployees, are representative of hon.
orable and patriotic motives, and
that the present economic condi-
ton warrants a continuation OF
confidence and prosperity. Fun
damentally America is sound. IL
has both the power and disposi-
tion to maintain itself in healthy
economic and moral condition But
it can not do this by turning all
it's thoughts in on itself, OF by
making its material prosperity it's
supreme choice. SeltishnesS is only
another name for suicide. A nation
that is morally dead will soon
be financially dead. The progress
of the world rests on courage,
honor and faith. If America wish,
es to maintain its prosperity, it
must maintain it's ideals.
Praises Peace Ideal.
When we turn to our foreign
relations we see the working out
of the same laws. If there is one
ideal of national existence to
which America has adhered more
consistently than to any other, it
has been that OF peace. What
ever other faults may be charged
to our country, it has never been
quarrelsone, belligerent or bent
on military ACKNOWLEDGMENT. After
all, the main support of peace is
understanding. 1t is a matter of
accurate information by one gov
ernment and one people about other
governments and other peoples
There is likewise involved the same
law OF service
Help for Others Is Test.
If the country is to stand for
anything in the world, if it is to
represent any forward movement
in human progress, these achieve
ments will be measured in no
small degree by what it is able to
do for others. Up to a little more
than twenty-five years ago Amer
lea gave almost its entire atten-
ton to elf-development. In that
1t achieved an unequaled success.
The service which it rendered to
others was to 4 considerable de-
gree one of example. 1t revealed
the ability of the people TO take
charge of their own affairs. 1t
demonstrated the soundnesS and
strength of lf-goyernment un-
der free institutions, while afford
ing refuge for the oppressed of
other lands. The great influence
which the mere existence of Amer
lean institutions exercised upon
the rest of the world would be
difficult to oVerestimate. At the
end of a long period of steady ac-
compliShments of this nature came
the war with Spain. which left our
country a world power with world
much to say that in meeting and
bringing TO successful conclu-
sion that conflict our country per-
formed a world service.
This was followed by a period
of most remarkable industrial de-
velopment- There were great
complications of properties, enor-
nous investments of capital, and a
stupendouS increase of produc-
tion. all accompanied by a growth
of population reaching many mill
lions. This was our condition at
the outbreak of the world war.
For long time we sought to
avoid this conflict, on the assump-
ton that it did not concern us
On that subject we were lacking
in accurate information. We found,
at last that while it was also the
concern US intimately and peril
ously. We took our part in the
war at length, in the defense of
free institutions.
We believe, while acknowledges
that We were only one of the
contributing elements, that our
participation was a decisive factor.
the strength of Self-governing
peoples, and a victory for free
institutions. Our action at this
time was distinctly world serv-
ice. America made it's sacrifice
for what it believed was the cause
of Righteousness.
Some Gains From War.
The sacrifices made on these oc-
casions. which resulted in a bene-
fit to others, resulted likewise in a
benefit to ourselves. Even the evil
effects which always arise from
war and its aftermath have only
tempered, not obliterated, these
results. A flow of material re-
sources set in toward our country,
which is still going on. The gem
eral standards of living were
raised. In the resulting plenty
many Of the old hardshipS of ex-
istence were removed. Our coun-
try came into a position where it
had greatly increased opportuni-
ty for world leadership. In moral
power it took a higher rank.
There can be little doubt that
our presence at the treaty table
softened the terms and diminished
the exactions of the victorious ma
tions, where joint covenants of
defensive alliance were in part
substituted for the usual terri
torial transfers. Our country re-
fused to adhere to the covenant of
the League of Nations with de-
cisive rejection which / regard as
final. Following this came a, con-
tinuing effort to collect repara-
tions, which the economic chaos of
Germany after time caused to be
suspended. This resulted in the
French seizure of the Rhur, with
allied conferences, plans and dis
cussions for renewing payment of
reparationS under some settled
method of permanent adjustment
Although indirectly interested by
reason of our commerce, and more
especially because of the debts due
to us, in having European set
tlement, our government felt that
the fundamental questions involed
in all these. discussion were the
direct political concern of Europe.
Our policy relative to the debts
due to us from Europeon countries
was we'll known, and we refused
sions. This never meant that
America was not willing to lend
its assistance to the solution of the
European problem in any way that
did not involve us in their purely
political controversies, whenever
opportunity presented plan that
promised to be just and effective.
But we realized that all effort was
useless until all parties came to
a state of mind where they saw
the need to make concessions and
accept friendly counsel.
Hughes Proposal Historic.
In December of the year of 1892
our Secretary Of State, Mr.. Hughes,
set out the American proposal in
an address which he delivered at
New Haven. That proposal has
now become historic He recog-