Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-23
Our Foreign Relations.

President Coolidge. in a notable ad-
dress last night. which will probably
be interpreted as his farewell to the
American people upon his retirement
from Office, pictured America as on
friendly terms with the world. With
only one nation, he said, is there any
question to be settled-Russia. whose
government has not yet been officially
recognized by the Government of the
United States.
The Presidents address was delivered
at the convocation exercises Of George
Washington University on the one hun
bred and ninety-seventh anniversary of
the birth of the first President of the
United States. The eulogy pronounced
by President Coolidge pictured George
Washington as man of great under
standing, deep student of many ques-
tons, with the faculty of coordination
and the ability to fix values. 1t was
to washingtons conception of the re-
lationship of the United States to for
eign nations, however, that Mr.. Coolidge
gave particular attention.
washington" said Mr.. Coolidge,
twas one of the first in practical way
to conceive of the United States as an
independent establishment. Before him
it had been province. After him it
was Nation. Even following the
Revolution there were many people in
this country who chung to the old
thought that we we're a European de-
tendency. If we were not to look to
England, then we must look to France.
It was the clear belief of Washington
that we must look to ourselves. Habits
of thought live on. There are still those
among us who have an inferiority COM
pick and there are still people in
Europe who regard us as a province.
lie therefore warned US in his Farewell
Address to beware of permanent and
political alliances. The phrase en-
angling alliances is not from him, but
I ON Jefferson"
The wisdom Of George Washington
has lived after him. President Coolidge
in his address pointed out the inde-
pendent position Of the United States
in the world. Isolation, he said, how
ever. was not to be desired merely for
isolation's sake. But the United States
occupies unique position, due in part
to its geographical location. And from
this position of independence America
has been able to aid other nations. Such
friendly aid President Coolidge would
have this country continue to give. But
It Is clear that his view, like that
Of the first President, is against perma-
nent and political alliances.
President Coolidge took occasion as
= Re is retiring from Office to assert en-
phatically that the foreign relations of
the United States are excellent: that no
war cloud, however small, is on the
horizon. Critics of the administration
have sought from time to time to show
that the relations of this country with
other nations have been unfriendiy or
on the verge of becoming SO. This the
President fatty denied. There is no
cause for worry. either in this country
or abroad, over the relations existing
between America and other nations, he
said. Coming from the President of the
United States, this message of peace
bears weight. 1t gives promise for the
! future. He dealt especially with the
! relations between the United States and
the Latin American republics. A friend
ly feeling exists, he said, and grows
stronger constantly. The President
enunciated no new policy for America
in the matter OF foreign relations
Rather. he gave praise to the policies
? which have brought this country to the
happy position with relation to the
world in which it now finds itself.