Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-21

scious Of the gravity Of the occasion.
A decisive experiment, for last April
the preparatory committee on disarma-
ment at Geneva recognized that it was
impossible for them to make further
progress in their work before the naval
powers arrived at q preliminary agree
ment.
I'VE now have been invited by the
British government to make this pre-
liminary agreement, 80 that our Lon.
don conference. Of January, 1880, takes
It's natural place in q necessary and
logical succession of events. This work
Is not one which can be evaded. The
only question, rs Roosevelt said, is
whether We shall do 1t well or other.
wise.
Responsibility Defined.
"The problem before us in its exact
terms is the following: Our success in
the limited task we are undertaking
will open the way to success of the
whole effort for disarmament. Our
failure might postpone 1t for an in
definite period. Thus our responsible
ties to the world, which observes us and
will pass judgment on us, is clearly de-
fined.
THE task is not an easy one. In
our modern world, where rights, obi
cations and interests are so inextricably
mixed, the position of maritime states
shows evidently the greatest complex
ity. No mathematical formula viii be
equal 10 solution to such 3 problem,
for no formula wiz resist the pressure
Of life. This Is why felt so satisfied
when q few minutes ago heard the
eminent prime minister of Great Brit
ain declaring that to know and to un-
derStand one another Is our first duty
and is to bring into full light the re-
spectiye needs of each.
Our needs as naval powers are q
positive factor, q factor which can be
measured and compared and which,, IL
interpreted in such q spirit of mutual
understanding as leads ct present, can
supply a basis for mutual position of
tomorrow to be fixed by agreement for
such . period as our conference may
decide"
How Needs Are Fixed.
"Our needs are determined, as Mr..
Macdonald so justly observed, by our
geographical positions, our historical
positions, our economic, maritime, CO.
Taken together they define what is
called nation.
I'VE must take them as our starting
points in order to find between the in1-
perative duties imposed on US by our
security and the provisions required for
its protection the honest and sincere
middle term, which viii lead first to
limitation and then to reduction Of the
heavy burden at present borne by man
kind.
"Is It necessary to add that the cove
nant Of the League Of Nations and the
Briand-Kellogg pact have in consider
able measure transformed our absolute
needs into relative ones? Each of US
from our different points Of view must
now come nearer one another to where
we can without further delay look at
those needs of ours as connected with
an increasing amount of guarantees.
And this is what we call the organi1a-
ton Of peace.
Victory Of Good win.
"our present problem is how to move
from the stage we have reached to the
following stage. Against the follies of
the past we must now win the finest of
victories; victory of the people, Of good
will. The weapon to win that victory
is our faith which alone win lead us to
the necessary technical arrangement
I'VE are confident In the coming gem
erations. certain as we are that they will
answer our call, il we know how to bind
them by clear and open pledges, whose
lasting value will be based on the living
foundations Of our national foundation.
I'm this capital Of Great Britain, full
Of such great historical memories, an
inspired feeling of our respective ira
ditions will I'LL US with proud resolu-
ton to go a step farther and give the
world q greater measure of peace. Sew
eral Of us have just arrived from The
Hague, where in other fields 10 govern
- 4. Al. 4.
effort in the same direction.
France brings to- you as her contri-
button to this work both her good win
and her will. Gentlemen, let us be
equal to the noble beauty which our
people expect us to do and which will
be done for the benefit of humanity If
we approach 1t in a spirit Of arm reso-
Init