Evening star., 1925-12-08
President Urges Needed Legislation
To Insure the Nations Progress

of the public debt shall be spread
over a period of 50 years-to con-
form to the period allowed our foreign
debtors to pay their debts to the
United States. He points out that:
IF $1,000. 100000 is paid at the
end of 20 years, the cost to the tax
payers is the principal and. if the
interest is Az per cent, a total of
sl.S50, 100000. If the same sum is
paid at the end of GO years, the cost
is s3,635, 900, 900. or almost double"
The public debt of the Uhited States
is still in excess of s2O.000. 900 900
although it has been reduced about
Sc .0o0, 900, 900 since it reached its
peak. The sums which the people
would be called upon to pay in
interest. through taxation. on such a
debt over period of 60 years. stag
ger the irnmagination.
The President recognizes in his
message that deflation of the Govern
accomplished and that the present
Federal expenses are not far out Of
line with pre-war expenses.
This does not mean that further
economies will not come" he says,
and adds that our economy must be
constructive and irtelligently applied.
Economy" he says, "is the method
by which we prepare today for the
improvements Of tomorrow"
Praises Dawes Plan.
The part the United States has
played in recent months in lettering
conditions throughout the world is
described by the President in his dis
cussion of foreign relations The
benefits of the Dawes Plan, which
Ia no Of
Locarno security and arbitrat ton
treaties. have been great. While the
United States is deeply interested in
any movement that may properly be
made for decrease in land arma-
ments, the President makes it clear
that, with a standing army of only
l1S,0Oo and population of lis, ,000,-
900, there would be nothing in the
way of further land disarmament
which the United States could offer
at a conference on land armaments
The question of disarln:ng upon land.
he says. is peculiarly European, and
he looks to Europe to take the lead
IN any plan for land diSarmaments.
1T seems clear the President
says, that 1t is the reduction of land
armies rather than of navies that is
of first Importance to the world at
the present time. We shall look with
great satisfaction upon that effort and
give 1t our appreciation and encoura ge-
ment."
In his recommendations regarding
aviation and the air services the
President sticks closely to the report
OF his Aircraft Board, recently made
public. The report of this board, he
says, ought to be reassuring to the
country. He emphasizes the great
Importance of aviation for national
derense and for commercial develop
ment.
The President sees the position q,
agriculture as a whole very much i'm
proved since the depression of three
or four years ago.
Sees New Era.
Following every other depression, ,
he says, after a short period the
| price of farm produce has taken and
maintained the lead in the advance
This advance had reached a china,
before the war. Every one will recall
the discussion that we mt on for four OF
five years prior to 1914 concerning the
high cost of living. This history ap
parently is beginning to repeat itself
While the wholesale prices of other
commodities have been declining, farm
L
every reason to suppose that a new
era In agricultural prosperity lies just
before US, which will probably be un
precedented."
The Government will continue to ai6
the farmers. the President declares
but his Investigations have led him tc
believe that the farmers wish to main
tain the independence of their business
and do not wish to have the Govern
ment meddling in it or be placed un
der restrictions which are inevitable
in direct or indirect system of price
fixing.
The President in his proposal for q
mothers aid law for the District OF
Columbia calls attention to the fact
that although more than 40 States
have enacted measures in aid OF
motherhood, the District Of Columbia
Is still without such a law.