Evening star., 1925-07-31
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

SWAMPSCOTT, Mass, July 81
TWO years is a relatively short time
within which to evolve a foreign pol
icy. Indeed, the most characteristic
thing which President Coolidge did on
acquiring the constitutional power to
direct the Nations foreign affairs was
to consur in the principles laid down
by Charles Evans Hughes, Secretary
of State under the late President Hard
ing.
The essentials of the Hughes policy,
however, became the Coolidge policy
because without his Endorsement they
could not have been continued. Mr..
Coolidge had the services of Mr..
Hughes until five months ago, and
since that time Secretary Kellogg,
himself a disciple of the Hughes
school, has carried on effectively.
Has Opposed Scrapping Treaties.
The outstanding achievement of
President Coolidge in foreign rela-
tions is like many another thing
about him, an unSpectacular, unSen'
Sational policy, and again one of re-
siStance to what he conceived to be
wrong movement rather than an
espouSal of some new affirmative ac-
ton. Mr.. Coolidge has prevented by
firm and positive action any scrapping
u
Washington conference for the linn
iitation of naval armament. There
have been plenty of efforts to depart
both from the letter and spirit OF
those treaties. A much less positive
character than Mr.. Coolidge might
have been drawn this way and that
by the extremists on naval armament.
so that foreign nations would have
lost confidence in the wholehearted
- nl.
serve the treaties.
There seems to have been enough
opportunity to twist words and
phrases into meanings that might be
considered by SOME to be justified,
but, guided by Charles Evans Hughes
and reinforced by his own conviction
that a return to naval competition
would be disastrous, Mr.. Coolidge has
stood the acid tests of sincerity on
behalf of America.
None except those who have
watched the fight on the inside can
have an appreciation of what it has
meant to stick by the treaties limiting
naval ornaments. In all countries
there are "jingoes." and in foreign
localities the action of the United
States was particularly watched to see
whether it afforded a loophole for dis
regarding other parts of the same
that had the United States yielded To
clamor on the elevation of the guns
the armament cost of other nations as
well as the United States might have
by one process or another been raised
above the intent of the delegates who
framed the treaties of 1922.
Believes in Policy.
Mr. Coolidge believes in limitation
of naval armament with all his heart
ard soul. He is hoping against hope
that some equally effective way will be
found soon to reduce the cost of land
armament. He thinks Europe will be-
gin to see daylight when it adopts a
security pact and removes the need
for large armies. 1t irkS his economi-
cal mind to see millions of dollars
spent annually when it is beyond all
probability that any large country in
Europe in the present impoverished
condition would think of going to
war Military coercion has not proved
successful as an arbiter of disputes
inherited from the last war. While
the United States Government cannot
participate, in Mr.. Coolidge's opinion,
in any of the treaties guaranteeing
European peace, it can assure Europe
of economic aid once security is made
possible by treaties.
The President was recently mis-