The Washington times., 1925-06-03

Coolidge Says Time Is Not
Ripe Yet to Abandon
Armament Policy

ANNPPoLIs, Nd, June s.-The
full text of President Coolidge's
speech today to the graduating
class at the United States Naval
Academy follows:
Members Of the class of 1925:
The poet reminds US that
Knowledge comes. but wisdom
fingers. Tt may. not be difficult
70 store up in the mind vast
quantity. Of facts within a COM
paratively short time, but the
ability TO form correct judgments
requires the severe discipline Of
hard work and the tempering
heat of experience and maturity.
BY your previous preparation and
BY your four years course at this
Institution, your diploma will tes.
dfy that you are possessed OF
knowledge. Your future life will
reveal your attainments, in wis
dom. I have come here to ex-
try holds in your abiding worth
and in your ability to succeed.
You have chosen profession
which represents one of the great
military arms Of our Government.
throughout your lives that Amer
lea believes In military prepare
tion for national defense, for the
protection of the rights. the Sc
curity, and peace of her citizens.
You will be called to places of re-
sponsibility and command. You
win be given the power Of life and
death over fellow countrymen.
You will represent the power, the
glory, and the honor Of this ma
ton among foreign peoples, with
eli the prominence that arises
from wearing the uniform and
carrying the flag. What you ere
the American sailor will be, and
what: you represent the Amer
lean navy will represent In the
ports OF our own country and in
those of foreign peoples where
little win be known Of the nature
OF authority under liberty. save
what Is learned from you. You
have been chosen for this high
e9lling.
Profession Of Citizenship.
But while you will serve the
nation In this special field Of en-.
deavor, you will not forget that
the. real profession of every Amer
lean citizenship. Under our insti-
tutions each individual is born to
sovereignty. Whatever he may
adopt as a means Of livelihood,
hfs real business Is serving mis-
country. He, can not hold him
self above his fellow men, The
greatest place of command is real
" the place of obedience, and the
greatest place of honor is really
the place Of service. 1t is your
duty in the part you propose to
take. to make the largest contrt-
bution YOU can to the. general
citizenship Of your country.
Not long ago I heard a Navy
chaplain refer 60 the sage advlce.
Of the Apostle to put first things
first. 1t was my understanding
that this meant putting proper
emphasis on what Is essential in
life and disregarding so far as
possible that which is accidental.
The great body of American. peo-
pie will, I hope, always be de-
voted to civilian life. Their main
purpose has been and will be
the maintenance of an honorabls
peace. It may not have occurred
to some of you, but I feel war
ranted in asserting 1t to be true
that your success lies in giving
q very large support to the civil
ian life of the Nation and to the
promotion of the public peace. IL
I were not convinced that this Is
true I should question the ilse-
fitness of the National Navy.
Main Essential Is Security.
II we are to heed the admoni-
tion to put first things first, a
very little deliberation would re-
veal to US that one of the main
essentials which lies at the very
beginnings Of civilization is that
Of security. 1t. is only when
people can feel that their lives
and the property which their in
dustry has produced today will
continue to be safe, on the NOR
row that there can be that sta
bility of value and that economic
progress on which human de-
veiopment has always rested. We
do not know of any people in
history where this has not been
first provided through some form
Of monarchy supported by a suf-
A4SGGAL LOlS~s
dition of security has long been
proverbialIy characterized among
English-speaking people as The
Kings peace All violations OF
that security were crimes against
the Crown, as in our Republic
they are crimes against the State,
or the Nation.
It is only when such peace
and security have been achieye1
under well-established customs
and the orderly process OF the
law that there is any opportunity
for the advancement of liberty.
When a people have begun to
respect the rights Of each other
and maintain common standards
Of action, they have advanced
TO a position where they do not
constantly require the all-protect-
ing power of force and can be.
gin to take over the making OF
their own laws and the deter.
n1ination of their own govern
ment. Finding that they are Sc
sure in the possession of life and
property, they can begin the es-
tablishment of their liberty. Grad
uaIIy this policy develops until
the last Vestige of monarchy dis
appears and the people become en-
Hreiy free and self.governing.
background Of Military Force.
There is no need for me to en-
-IArge in this presence upon the
pFivileges which come to the in
dividual In the development Of
80 people. They are the COM