Evening star., 1928-11-25
COOLIDGE SPEECH SPREADS
TURMOIL THROUCHE EUROPE
Britain Sees Naval Supremacy Chal-
lenged-Berlin's Hope for Debt Release
Ends-Kellogg Pact Treated as Gesture.

ample full warrant for keeping their
armies at the highest pitch of efficiency
and at the greatest tolerable point of
numerical strength. To the European
mind the United States is protected
alike by distance and inherent strength
against all attack. If, enjoying this
unrivaled security, we still feel bound
to resort to vast naval expenditures,
what argument can be used against the
preparations of nations living alongside
the European powde- magazine?
President Coolidge's speech also con-
stitutes a very grave impairment of
the Kellogg pact in Europe. Justly or
unjustly, all Europeans see an apparent
paradox in the Kellogg pact, by which
we invite Europe to renounce war, and
the Coolidge program, In which we set
out to make vast preparations for war
OF course, in the larger sense, the
single real value that Europe saw in
the Kellogg pact was the assumed prom
1se that we we're preparing to abandon
our policy of isolation. What was i'm
portant to the European peoples was
the apparent intention on our part to
join the European states in the use of
force against nations which disturbed
the peace.
Kellogg Pact a Gesture.
Mr.. Coolidge has destroyed that fact.
AS far as Europe is concerned the
Kellogg pact now becomes of prac-.
tically no importance. The illusion that
we were at last prepared to contribute
to policing Europe has been destroyed
The suspicion that we meant no more
than mere moral gesture in the KEEL
logg pact has found final corroboration
in the Presidents speech, and the KEEL
logg pact is more likely in the future
to arouse European sneers than en-
thusiasm
But, while the Presidents speech
has produced very striking echoes all
over Europe, 1t is in England that its
Importance IS obviously most clearly
perceived. 1t is dif1cult to recall any
presidential utterance in recent years
In which the implications, if not the
tone, have been so unwelcome and even
so nlinatory as those of the Armistice
day declaration.
In British eyes the whole weight of
American policy for the postwar period
has been, in effect If not in design. dis
advantageous to Britain. Firmly refus-
ing to permit any form of Anglo-Amer-
can political partnership, we have stead
lily proceeded to challenge British posi-
ton in the world. not only in naval mat
ters, but financially and economically
as well.
Rightly or wrongly the British see us
steadily seeking to replace them in the
world. We have outdistanced them
financially. economically; with our new
feet we shall inevitably weaken their
political position the world over. We
have done to them things which no
other people have ever attempted with
out precipitating war, but while the
fck@ Ill 80
slble weapon against us, they find them
selves steadily confronted by an Ameri-
can challenge.
Lid on Reparations.
The continent watches the Anglo
American naval dispute with patent in
terest. For Germany and even for So
Wet Russia the meaning may be exag-
gerated, but 1t certainly will not be mis-
taken. Moreover, the Presidents words
about American loans to Europe fairly
put the lid" on all hopes for immediate
liquidation of the German reparations
problems and give the Germans new
grounds for resisting all the proposals
coming from either London or Paris.
In this circumstance lies an explana-
ton for much of the European resent
nent. A mere speech of the President
Of the United States can set the whole
continent by the ears and upset long
considered plans. We are able at will
to produce confusion and prolong chaos
in Europe. While we are of utmost inn
portance in all the great European ques-
tiOns, Europe is for us side issue and
nothing more. London, Paris and Ber-
lin can discuss, and decide as much as
they please. but every one knows that
aothing can happen in the way of clean
ing up the reparations mess save as we
agree to share in the operation.
The truth is that the rise Of the
United States during and since the
World War has produced complete
change in the whole situation OF world
today was hardly in the hands Of any
combination of nations before 1914. But
possessing the power. we are almost to-
tally unconcerned with the European
consequences of our actions.
1t Is this fact which makes speech
like that of President Coolidge a source
of well-nigh universal European resent
ment. To the European mind it Is the
utterance of dominant Imperialism, 1t
emphasizes the extent to which the
United States has seized the power to
dictate to Europe, and 1t reveals once
more the spirit in which we look upon
Europe. For us, 1t is a speech, interest
ing. perhaps mildly significant, but at
most speech by President: but for
Europe 1t is an emphatic reminder of
the fact that the greatest single combi-
nation of wealth and power lies outside
the European continent and rests in
hands which respond to American and
not European conceptions.
(Copyright, 1928)