Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-18
PEACE OF WORLD
HELDDtBV OF u S.
Baker Advocates World Court
Entry and Reduction in
Tariff Barriers.
Nv The Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BOSTON. November 18.-Newton D.
Baker. Secretary of War in the Wilson
cabinet, yesterday declared that de-
cisive action for preservation of the
worlds peace was among the debts OF
the United States as the principal
creditor nation of the world. Baker
spoke before the Boston Chamber OF
Commerce and over Nation wide radio
hook-up.
The United States can assume an i'm
posing place in the move toward uni
yersal peace Baker said. by various
projects They included entry of this
country into the World Court and
reclamation from oblivion" and adop-
ton of the Capper resolution to pre-
vent the United States from becoming
q benevolent neutral in times of war be-
tween nations which had agreed TO ar
bitrate international differences.
Reduction Of tariff barriers to permit
debtor nations to pay their debts. in
part at least. through the exchange of
products, and the strengthening of our
domestic financial structure were advo-
Gated by Baker.
Not MOtivated by Politics.
Although the former War Secretary.
who has been regarded in some political
ettors as a potential Democratic candi-
date for President was introduced by
President Henry l. Hartman of the
chamber as one who might be con-
Sidered for the highest position in the
land he asserted in opening his adj
dress that it was mot motivated by po-
litical thoughts
Firm pronouncement by the United
States that its industrial and financial
resources would not be at the service
Of aggleSSor countries in times of war
would put an end to International war;
fare, Baker said. He Urged passage by
Congress i'll the next session of a. reso-
luton once offered by Senator Capper
of Kansas. in which the United States
policy would be to prevent it from be-
coming market for finances farm
and industrial products, and munitions
for aggreSSor nations which had pre-
viouSly agreed to arbitrate international
troubles. Though enactment of such
legislation in times Of war was appar-
emily beyond hope, Baker said during
the current peace times It should be
accepted
Hopes for Senate Action.
Visualizing participation of the United
States i'll the World Court as a great
inspiration to end war Baker said that
III the next session he hoped the Sem
ate would stop putting the accent on
elaboration and put some on action in
regards to the court"
He asserted that. although he would
not discuss the propriety of the United
States joining the League of Nations.
they seemed to be getting along well
with it, He referred TO the presence
OF United States officials at League
Council meetings and Similingly said:
Il would feel more honest If the United
States paid its share of the rent for the
buildings at Geneva"
Among the potent causes for future
wars were the bursting Of the bounds
Of overpopulation and political ques-
tons, Baker said.
The solvency and security of our
financial system. Baker continued, was
the Nations first line defense in the
event of war. He made laudatory ref
erence to the Federal Reserve System
and said: Congress should pass law
TO make very bank of deposit operating
in the United States become a men,
Der Of the Federal Reserve System or
tax them so they would have to go out
of business"
Such program he said. would pre-
vent bank failures and business upSetS.
Urges Lower Tariff.
After portraying the change of the
United States from a country owing
Sc 600. 900, 900 to European interests in
1914 to one being owed $2l, 900, 000, 600
by the principal nations of the world
in 1880, Baker suggested there should
be a horizontal reduction in the tariff
to permit our debtors to make payments
through the exchange OF products.
This theory. he asserted, was that fob
lowed by jefferson and other early lead
ers Of the Nation in paying off the debt
incurred during our formative period.
Whether the tariff problem should be
solved by international agreement, by
reciprocity or our own initiative, Baker
would not venture to say. He declared,
however. that If the United States was
unwilling to permit payments OF debts
through the exchange OF products,
then we are in the position of saving
the greatest debt of all time owing us
and erecting barriers at our waters
edge to prevent payment of that debt"