The Washington times., 1924-05-30

mote our WSlIAFe Oy MARROW
and shortsighted policy. We can
gain nothing by any destruction
OF government or society. That
action which in the long run is
for the advantage Of the .indi-
vidual, as 1t is for the support
Of our Union, is best summed up
in q single Word-renunciation. 1t
is only by surrendering a certain
amount of our liberty, only by
taking on new duties and as
Stunning new obligations, that we
make that progress which we
characterize as civilization. IT il
only in like manner that the citi-
zens and the States can main
tain our Federal Union, and be-
come partakers Of its glory. That
discomfort, and to every preacher
Of destruction. While this is un-
derstood, American institutions
and the American Union are Sc
cure. ~
This principle cannot be too
definitely or emphatically pro-
claimed. American citizenship ID
a high estate. He who holds Il
Is the peer Of kings. It has been
secured only by untold toll and
effort. 1t will be maintained by
no other method. It demands
the best that men and women
have to give. But It likewise
awards to its partakers the best
that there is on earth. To at
tempt to turn 1t into a thing Of ease
and inaction would be only to de-
base it. To cease to struggle and
toll and sacrifice for 1t is not only
to cease to be worthy of 1t, but
Is to start q retreat toward bar
barism. No matter what others
may say, no matter what others
may do, this is the stand that
those must maintain who are
worthy to be called Americans.
But that great struggle was
carried on by those whom this
not only for the preservation Of
the Union. The authority of the
Federal Government had been re-
sisted by armed force. They were
also striving to restore peace. It
must be remembered that our re.
public was organized to avoid and
discourage war and to promote
and establish peace. It is the
leading characteristic Of our ma
tional holidays that they are days
OF peace. The ways Of our peo-
pie are the ways Of peace. They
naturally seek ways to make peace
more secure.
Defense Is Vital.
To ao nat - hA a~Rn~.@A 49, IA
would be anything less than court
ing national disaster to leave our
country barren of defense. HUI
man nature is a very constant
quality. While there is justifica-
ton for hoping and believing that
we are moving toward perfection,
1t would be idle and absurd to as
sumo that We have already reach
ed 1T. We cannot disregard his
tory. There have been and will
be domestic disorders. There
have been and will be tendencies
OF one nation to encroach on an
other. I believe In the mainte-
nance Of an army and navy, not
for aggression, but for defense.
Security and order are most val.
liable possessions. They are cheap
at any price. But am opposed
to every kind OF military aggran-
dizement and to all forms Of com.
petttive armament. The ideal
would be for nations to become
parties to mutual covenants lin.
ittng their military establishments
ana making it obvious that they
are. not maintained to menace
each other. This ideal should be
made practical as fast as DOS.
sible.
Our nation has associated itself
with other great powers for the
purpose of promoting peace in the
regions OF the Pacific ocean. It
has steadily refused to accept the
covenant Of the League of Ma.
tons, but long before that was
thought of, before the opening of
the present century we were fore
most In promoting the calling of
a conference at The Hague to pro.
vide Tor tribunal of arbitration
Tor the settlement Of international
disputes. We have made MANY
treaties on that basis with other
nations.
Not Peace Guarantee.
But We have an opportunity
before us to reassert our de-
sire, and to lend the force OF
our example for the peaceful
adjudication of differences be-
tween nations. Such action would
be in entire harmony with the
policy which we have long adj
vocated. I do not look upon
1t as q certain guarantee against
war, but it would be a method
of disposing of troublesome oues-
tons. an accumulation of which
leads to irritating conditions and
results in mutually hostile sen.
tlments. More than a year ago
President Harding proposed that
the Senate should authorize our