Evening star., 1925-02-23
ARMAMENT CUTS DUE
AS WORLD TRIBUNALS
GAIN, SAYS COOLIDGE
President Defines
u. S. Defense Aims
To W0n,ar, Patriots

President Coolidge addressed the
National Women's Patriotic Organi
cations at the White House, at noon
today, as follows: when learned
that the women of the American
Legion Auxiliary had arranged
conference of the National Women's
Patriotic rganizations, to be held in
Washington at this time, 1 felt an
earnest desire to meet them. That
desire was based on consideration
first. of who they are; second. of
whom they represent; and third. of
the purpose for which they are as
sembled here.
I'm all generations the women have
contributed greatly to keep alive the
traditions of nationalism and patriotism.
They are our first and most effective
teachers. Their influence is exerted in
the years when the mind of youth is
most plastic and impressionable. The
Legends of Spartan motherhood have
carried the implication that the
stout-h hearted womanhood of Sparta
was perhaps somehow different from
that OF other times and races.
Our own history, the history of
every nation that has risen to high
place, as proof that the women of
Sparta were in truth made of no
stouter or more loyal stuff than were
those of every other race whose sons
have won rank for valor and paid
the price of freedom.
Three Generations in wars.
There is not one among us who
does not know women who have sent
away three generations of their men
to the wars of their country. Any of
you can name some of them. Their
roster, if it could be written into
national roll of honor, would run far
into the tens of thousands of women
who saw their husbands answer the
call to one war; their sons respond
to the call of another, and their
grandsons mustered into the legtons
which only yesterday were called to
the other side of the world, in de-
Tense of our rights and the rights
of humanity.
Who has a better title, then, than
these women who represent such ex-
periences, to be heard in the councils
which shall determine the questions
and defense, of doing our duty in the
world?
We shall hardly disagree on the
proposition that peace is decidedly
preferable to war. But in this pres
ence. l feel safe in saying also that
our country does not wish for weak
ness. The only enduring peace must
be the peace of law, of order, of Sc
curity and honor. Such a peace we
wish for ourselves, and we devoutly
wish to share it with every neighbor
in the family of nations.
Advance Toward Peace
The members of this conference,
representing the historic patriotic or
CARNATIONS of the country, are ear
nestly in favor of peace, 1 think, on
terms which viii assure the national
dignity and safety. Universal and as
sured peace, under the law of nations,
rs an ideal to which all of us are de-
voted. 1t is true that we have not
stopped wars. But ii is also true that
there is today a more definite and
more widely entertained conception
than ever before, of the possibility to
prevent war under an effective rule
of law. This is the great advance. We
have not reached the end; probably
we shall not reach it for many gen
erations. But it can hardly be doubt
ed that the purpose and aspiration of
human kind are definitely, intelligent
ly, and inslstently enlisted in the ef-
fort to make war an impossibility in
this world.
But we are compelled to recog-
nize that national safety requires
such a measure of preparedness as
shall be the guaranty against agrees
sion, without committing the Nation
to militarism. For the present the
most we can hope is to secure general
acceptance, in good faith and without
pa of "a pb
ever armaments we create, whatever
preparations we make, shall be linn
tied to the reasonable requirements
of security.
Moderation In Amendment.
"A country so powerful in numbers
and wealth, so fortunate in its loca-
tion, as our own can and should set
an example of moderation in arma-
ment and should invite others to
pursue a similar program. l do not
think we would set a good example
by abolishing our Army and Navy.
But we can afford to limit our mill
tary and naval establishments so as
to assure that, while determined and
able to defend ourselves, we have no
intent of aggression. If every nation
would enforce such a policy the cost
of armaments would be enormously
icSSCISu dHQ lnS general "SHdIe Oh
humanity correspondingly promoted
1T is not easy to formulate the de-
tails of program which would avow
before all the world such a national
purpose as l am suggesting. Yet 1
believe much can be done to assure
other nations that this Is our aim
and desire. And whenever a particu-
lar nation shall convince its neigh
bors of such a purpose of moderation
without aggression it will be easier
for other nations to adopt a similar
attitude.
Expects Further Reduction
There is, 1 believe, so general an
agreement with these suggestions
that further accomplishments in the
direction of armament reduction
should be possible. This does not
mean that we intend to leave our
selves unprotected, or to ask any
other nation to be unprotected.
as we desire the substitu-
ton of law for force, we shall not
strip ourselves of the means of secur-
ity. Even the most law-abiding of
communities do not dismiss their
police forces. No more can a great
nation take the risk of leaving itself
to be menaced by disorder.
About in proportion as the nations
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