Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-31
President Hoover Demands Action.

President Hoover Demands Action.
President Hoover has never spoken
with greater decisiveness and deter
nination than when, in his Memorial
day address at Arlington, he called
upon the nations to translate their
disarmament professions into deeds. 1t
was a stern demand for action, in the
spirit of the Kellogg pact, that the
President uttered in the midst of an
uncommonly fine tribute to Americas
soldier and sailor dead.
There was the Lincolnian Gettys-
burg touch about Mr.. Hoover's affirn1a-
should be established. Our obligation
is to see 1t maintained" That Is
challenge directed to the whole world
and one that cannot easily be ignored
unless statesmen had their tongues in
their cheeks when they signed on the
dotted line of the covenant to renounce
war as an instrument of national
policy.
The President proclaimed his re-
fusal to believe that such hypocrisy
dictated the forty governments con-
domination of recourse to war for the
solution of international controversies"
Mr.. Hoover holds that the civilized
peoples of the earth meant it when they
solemnly agreed to settle their future
disputes or conflicts, 'of whatever ma
ture or origin" exclusively by pacific
means"
In the Presidents Judgment, never
theless, the Kellogg pact pledges must
be followed by positive action In the
field Of naval reduction if the pact is
not to become a mere scrap of paper.
Amid peace Mr.. Hoover envisages the
nations building ever higher the fabric
of war in the form of new life-de-
stroying instrumentalities." These must
stop, soon, now, forever. the President
roundly asserts, unless that greatest
Of human calamities-fear" is not to
be perpetuated, and become the mother
Of another devastating catastrophe like
the World War.
Mr.. Hoover, as might be expected
in q statesman of his practical mold,
does not confine himself to pious gen.
eralities. He outlines the new pro-
gram" for accomplishing naval reduc-
tiop which his administration Is spon-
soring. 1t is q program, he tells us,
designed to abolish limitation up
ward; q vivid thrust at schemes which
would curtail armament by adding to
it-and to ind the 'yardstick'' by
which countries may remain provided
with legitimate naval strength on the
RELATIVELY" basis.
The President at Arlington clarified
one thing regarding which there has
been some confusion in the popular
mind. The public has wondered
whether the Hoover plans call for
merely future limitation of construc-
ton COP the basis Of the Washington
treaty of 1929, or includes, as well,
making inroads on building programs
already authorized, but not yet COM
pleted. The President yesterday stated
categorically that "our goal Is actual
reduction Of existing commitments to
lower levels" That can only mean
that Mr.. Hoover contemplates eventual
slashing not only of the United States
Nays battleship replacement pro-
gram, but also of the new cruiser pro-
gram enacted by Congress a few
months ago.
It goes without saying that the
President visualizes no action by the
United States, in the realm Of reduc-
ton, that is not paralleled by other
navies. Mr.. Hoover is thoroughly
sound on national defense, jealous
though he is for disarmament. He
specifically advocates lust prepared
ness for the protection Of our people"
But he is adamant in the conviction
that the principle Of RELATIVELY" can
be so invoked that, while guaranteeing
to all peoples a full quota Of adequate
strength at sea, they can at the same
time be relieved of the crushing tax
burden of swollen ornaments.
The President Of the United States
calls upon the Einsteins of naval
craftsmanship to devise the yardstick
Of relatively that will point the way
to new hope for war-satiated mankind.
If they fail to do 80, it is plainly Mr..
Hoover's feeling that the future holds
only travail for the world. Happily, he
declines to succumb to any such coun-
sci of despair. In his resolve to see
results achieved lies hope Of disarnla-
ment progress.
To some extent the enjoyment of a
holiday Is measured by the competence