Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-09

March 10th 1nStailment OF ihCoiiS
taxes is due. Nonpartisan EFFORT
means certain. quick action. Deter
mination of a revenue law deflnltely'
promptly and solely as a revenue
| law. is one of the greatest gitts
legislature can bestow upon its con-
stituents. / commend the example
of the Ways and Means Commlttee'
II followed, it will place sound leg
islation upon the books in time to
Give the taxpayers the full benent
of fax reduction next year. This
means that the bill should reach me
| prior to March 10.
All these economic results are be-
ing sought not to benefit the rich'
but to benefit the people. They are
for the purpose of encouraging IN
dustry in order that employment
NAV be plentiful. They seek to
make business good in order that
| wages may be good. They encour-
age prosperity in order that poverty
may be banished from the nome.
They seek to lay the foundatioh
which. through increased produc-
ton, may give the people a more
bountiful supply of the necessarles
of life. afford more leisure for the
| Improvement Of the mind. the ap-
! preciation of the arts of music ana
| literature. sculpture and painting
and the beneficial enjoyment OF out
/ door sports and recreation, enlarge
| the resources which minister 10
charity and by all these means at
tempting to strengthen the splritual
life of the Nation.
| Foreign Relations
The policy of our foreign relations
casting aside any suggestion or Iorce,
rests solely on the foundation OF
peace, good will. and good WORKS.
f, We have sought. in our intercourse
with other nations, better UNDER
| standings through conference ana
exchange Of views as befits peihgs
endowed with reason. The results
have been the gradual elimination
of disputes, the settlement or con-
troversies, and the establishment Oh
| a firmer friendship between America
and the rest of the world than has
ever existed at any previous time.
! The example of this attitude has
not been without its influence upon
other countries. Acting upon 1t. an
adjustment was made of the difncult
problem of reparations. This was
the second step toward peace in Eu-
rope. 1t paved the way for the
agreements which were drawn up at
| the Locarno Conference. When rat
ftified. these will represent the third
step toward peace. While they do
not of themselves provide an eco
nomic rehabilitation, which Is neces-
sary for the progress of Europe. by
strengthening the guarantees OF peace
they diminish the need for great
ornaments. If the energy which
now goes into military effort Is
transferred to productive endeavor.
it will greatly assist economic prog
ress.
I The Locarno agreements were
made by the European countries d.
rectly interested without any formal
/ intervention of America. although
on July 8 I publicly advocated such
! agreements in an address made in
! Massachusetts. We have consistently
refrained from intervening except
| when our help has been sought and
we have felt 1t could be effectively
| given, as in the settlement of repa-
rations and the London Conference.
These recent Locarno agreements
represent the success of this policy
4 which we have been insisting ought
to be adopted. of, having European
countries settle their own political
problems without involving this
country. This beginning seems to
| demonstrate that this policy Is sound.
1t is exceedingly gratifying to OBJ
serve this, progress, which both In
its method and in its result promises
so much that is beneficial to the
world. e.
| When these agreements are finally
adopted. they will provide guaran-
ties of peace that make the present
prime reliance upon force In some
parts of Europe very much less nee
= essary. The natural corollary to
these treaties should be further In
/ ternational contracts for the limita-
ton of ornaments. This work was
successfully begun at the Washing
ton Conference. Nothing was done
at that time concerning land forces
because of European objection.
Our standing army has been re-
duced to around $4,000. about the
necessary police force for 115.OOO,-
600 people. We are not proposing
to increase 1t. nor is 1t supposable
that any foreign country looks with
the slightest misapprehension upon
our land forces. They do not men-
ace anybody. They are rather pro-
lection to everybody.
The question of disarming upon
land is so peculiarly European in its
practical aspects that our country
would look with particular gratitude
upon any action which those coun-
tries might take to reduce their own
military forces. This is in accord
ance with our policy of not inter-
vening unless the European powers
are unable to agree and make re-
quest of our assistance. Whenever
they are able to agree of their own
accord it is especially gratifying to
us, and such agreements may be
sure of our sympathetic support.
1t seems clear that 1t is the re-
duction of armies rather than OF
navies that Is of the first importance
to the world at the present time
We shall look with great satisfac-
ton upon that effort and give 1t our
appreciation and encouragement. II
that can be settled, we may more
easily consider further reduction and
limitation Of naval ornaments. For
that purpose our country has, con-
stantly through its Executive, and
through repeated acts of Congress
indicated it's willingness to call such
a conference. Under congressional
4 sanction 1t would seem to be wise
to participate In any conference OF
the great powers for naval limitation
of armament proposed upon such
conditions that 1t would hold a fai,
promise of being effective. The gen.
eral policy of our country is for dis.
armament, and 1t ought not to hest
tate to adopt any practical plan that
might reasonably, be expected to
succeed. But it would not care to
u attend q cnnference which from lis