Evening star., 1927-12-07
HUGHES DECLINES TO RUN;
CONVENTION CITY UNPICKED

, finances. for a comprehensive cover
ing OF the political field the election
of 1924, which was made under your
direction, stands out unsurpassed. ]
feel that ] ought to declare in this
presence what / know, and what you
must know, that too much credit for
these results cannot be given to your
chairman, William NJ. Butler. In the
delicate matter OF assisting the wom-
en- to take part in their first full
presidential campaign he had the very
able assistance OF Mrs. Alvin T. Hert.
Zone OF my chief desires in greet
ing you at the White House was the
privilege Of expressing to you in a
somewhat formal way the apprecia'
tion that / have for the work which
is done by political committees. For
many years I was member or
the city committee Of Northampton.
and at one time its chairman. For
years ] was in close contact with
our State central committee and our
national committeeman, so that !
know something whereof / speak
when | say that political committees
as instruments of the science OF SELF
government are held in altogether
too little esteem. They assist the
people to function. They disseminate
informa ton. They encourage the
voter to go to the polls. They are
the groundwork organization. without
which popular government would
almost fail Of success. While we nave
faithful committee members. we have
an additional assurance or worthy
people in office through the action of
an informed and vigorous public
opinion. l should like to have YOU
l., fInf fp,ln
my opinion to the subdivisions
within your States. how important in
my estimation is the work which Is
done by political committees
Consistent Assistance.
"You have been most considerate
in the assistance you have rendered to
me in the past, and | want you to
know of my appreciation. You are all
conscious of the great amount OF
labor that is at present necessary. ana
always will be necessary, to carry on
the Government of the United States.
1t cannot be efficient without popular
support. There are always those who
are willing to waste the resources OF
the people. usually with the best in
tentions. 1t is no easy matter to see
to it that the people themselves re-
main in possession of the largest pos.
Sible amount of their own earnings,
free from the obligation to contribute
them to an eXtravagant government.
The temptation to spend the money Is
almost overwhelming. This is grow
ing country. If it is to hold its place
in civilization. it will be necessary to
have intelligent management of gov
ernment finances. We have an enor-
ho
thirds of which still remains unpaid.
There is no greater constructive &C.
ton than to provide for it's speedy
retirement. Already it has cost the
country over $4,000. 900 900 in interest
alone. This is about as much as we
have paid on the principal. Putting
our finances in good condition,
eliminating waste, has enabled the
National Government constantly to re-
duce taxes while almost every State
and local government is searching for
new Scources Of revenue and increas.
ing its taxes and debt. This means
new handicaps on agriculture and in
'dustry; new burdens on the people.
"A careful supervision of our re.
sources is placing us in a position to
meet the coming requirements of a
progressive people. We have many
needs in the way of internal improve.
ments to be made both by public ex-
pense and private enterprise. One of
the most pressing is food control in
the lower Mississippi basin. We shall
be called on for much waterway de.
velopment, river and harbor improve
ments. and the construction of a sys-
tenn of f1rst-class highways. The agri.
cultural regions will especially be
benefited by a lower cost of transpor.
tation which these improvements
would afford.
Waterways and harbors. however
are useless without ships. Our Govern.
ment operation of our merchant
marine has been helpful in many
ways, but it is far lacking of COM
plete success. 1t would be much
cheaper and far more beneficial to get
it into private hands under some sys-
tenn Of Government support which
would enable it to meet the lower
costs OF building and lower rates of
wages of foreign shipping. We also
have our Navy to maintain Within q
few years replacement of capital ships
must begin. We should consider at
once a moderate building program
for cruisers and subma rines Our aVia-
ton system will need more airplane
carriers and our DESTROYER fleet will
require additions Of the leader type,
Such a program will extend over a
considerable period of years. 1t does
not involve us in any competition
with other countries, but will simply
provide us with a defensive navy. We
are thoroughly committed to the
policy of limitation of naval arma.
ments and extremely hopeful that
future conditions will bring it about.
Unless l misread the convictions of
my countrymen, we are likewise deter
mined to enter into no covenant that
assigns to the United States any sec
ondary place among the naval powers
of the world. The question. of how
and when we should build up our
future navy to full treaty strength
would be for ourselves to decide. At
present, we should contemplate neither
superiority or inferiority. but. merely
provide for our own needs.
instruments of Peace.
But, whatever arms we may have,
it should be known to all the world
that they are instruments Of peace.
No one need fear from them any
aggression. Every one may regard
them as guarantee Of stability and
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