Imperial Valley press., 1929-11-12
HOOVER MAKES
BOLD PROPOSAL
AS PEACE MOVE
President Urges Freedom
For Food Ships In Time
OF War. ,r
By LAWRENCE SULLIVAN
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov. l2. (U.H-
Americas traditional demand for
freedom Of the seas found new en-
phasis today in the capitals reverb
erations to- President Hoover's bold
proposal that food ships be free from
all interference by blockade in time
of war.
Linked with this far reaching pro-
posal in his Armistice day address
to the American Legion last night
IN Washington auditorium, the chief
executive outlined the administra-
tons positive policy of "prepared-
ness for peace. Such a policy, he
declared, is as important to every
nation as preparedness for defense.
As to naval reduction, President
Hoover declared it cannot go too low
to please the United States.
The address, delivered under the
auspices of the American Legion,
was broadcast over n nationwide
radio chain.
81 would place all vessels laden
solely with food supplies on the same
footing as hospital ships" President
Hoover declared. "The time has
come when we should remove starv-
alton of women and children from
the weapons OF warfare"
The suggestion strikes to the core
of the age old problem of the free
dom of the seas, for it would abro-
gate the right of any power to en-
force sea blockade against the civ
ilian population of an enemy nation.
The blockade has been tradition
ally sustained by British foreign and
naval policy since Drake carried the
Union Jack to domination of the
seas by his victory over the Spanish
Armada in 1888.
The President specifically disa-
vowed any intention of injecting the
question into the forthcoming Lon
don naval conference. This follow
ed n like statement by Prime Minis
ter Ramsay Macdonald in London
Saturday. Hoover, diplomatic OBJ
servers inclined to the view today
that the Presidents proposal must
lead soon to at least informal ex-
changes between the principal pow
ers on the whole subject of the war
time law Of the sea
Recalls Relief Work
For those who doubt the practical
bility of the idea he recalled that
the Belgian Relief Commission,
which he headed himself for more
than three years, delivered more than
1000 shiploads of food through
two rings of blockade continuously
through the full duration of the war
Reviewing the events which led
ence, the chief executive declared
to the calling of the London confer
that the United States was ready to
reduce her navy in proportion to any
other power.
"Having said that" he continued,
ait remains for the others to say
how low they will go. 1t cannot be
too low for u.s."
Recalling the "high purpose for
which we entered the war" Mr..
Hoover outlined "the new vision of
diplomacy which is dawning upon
the world"
ave desire to see all humanity re-
lieved of the hideous blight Of war
and of the cruelties and injustices
that lead to war;" he said, adding
the outlook for peace is brighter to-
day than for half century, but the
world still lives in a state of EARNED
peace"
"The men under arms, including
active reserves, in the world are al
most 3O,000,000 in number, or near.
ly 100000 more than before the
war.
"Aircraft and other instruments of
destruction are far more potent than
they were even in the great war"
The great task of craftsmanship to.
day, the President asserted, is TO
achieve peace through organized eff
fort, without sacrifice of national in
dependence or those broad principles
of international justice which are
the foundation stones of civilization
itself.