Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-11
|HOOVER'S SILENCE
| ON PROTOCOL CITED
Armistice Day, Address Re-
garded as Significant in
Things Left Unsaid.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

President Hoover's Armistice day
speech this morning at the annual con-
ference and goodwill congress Of the
World Alliance for International Friend
ship Through the Churches was mainly
significant for what it did not say. In
the first place, the President conspicu-
ously refrained from indicating any in
tention of asking the Senate to ratify
the United States signature to the
World Court protocol. That omission
brings keen disappointment to the more
ardent supporters of the American
peace movement, especially the paciflst
group represented by the National Coun-
Gil for Prevention of War. Mr.. Hoover
goes no farther, with reference to the
World Court, than he went when adj
dressing the Daughters of the Ameri-
can Revolution last April. On that &C.
casion he acclaimed the court, men,
toned the contention" over the "spe-
cial stipulations" under which America
! would join it, and predicted that "the
United States will some time become
member"
Almost as noteworthy as the Presi-
dents silence about further steps to
take this country into the World Court
is his outSpoken unwillingness, amid
present world conditions, to pin his
whole faith in instruments like the Kel-
logg pact as guarantee Of peace.
Future Held Doubtful.
Despite the increase in Democratic
strength in the Senate, as result of the
recent elections. there is serious doubt
whether the White House can count
any more confidently on a two-thirds
ratification vote for the World Court
than it could in the past. The old ir-
reconcilable bloc is still irreconcilable
and musters enough support on both
the Republican and Democratic sides of
the Senate to hold up ratification. A
very influential member of the Foreign
Relations Committee now in Washing
ton is of opinion that the immediate
outlook for the court is just as bleak
today as it has been during all the
seven years since President Harding
first asked the Senate to authorize our
entry. Even the new era Of coalition"
the Senator in question says, holds out,
in his opinion, little hope of ratiflca-
ton. In congressional circles there is
little surprise that President Hoover
still hesitates to demand Senate action
on the court, though the same quarters
credit him with good political sense"
in not doing so at this time.
Menace in Europe Seen.
Friends of preparedness read into the
carefully phrased Hoover sentiments in
the Armistice day speech readiness on
the part of the administration to seek
prompt action on behalf Of the treaty
navy" authorized at the London Con-
ference. No other construction, 1t is
commended, can be placed on the Presi-
dents references to the dangers which
foreign wars bring to our shores"
Mr.. Hoover, in the same paragraph
Of his address, directly hints at Amer
icas necessity to bear in. mind what
she may be called upon to do in her
own defense, in case the other nations
of the world go to war in spite of all
the safeguards set up to prevent it.
Boiled down to plain terms, President
Hoover defines his idea of Americas
peace policy at this hour as follows:
Maintain our faith in the various in
strumentalities established for preser-
walton Of peace, but keep our powder
dry and our sword sharp for possible
use in the event that these instrument
talities fail of their purpose" 1t is an
open secret that the Washington adj
ministration looks at present. hour in
ternational conditions, especially in Eu-
rope, as full of menace. To the extent
of his powers, President Hoover would
lend American influence to the easing
of the situation lover there"
But it is apparent from the Armistice
day address that meantime the Quaker
Chief Executive of the United States
intends to remain on what that other
engineer President, George Washington,
in the farewell address termed "a re-
spectacle defensive posture"
(Copyright, 1g30)