At Gettysburg Coolidge Lauds Big Peace Plan

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 368, 31 May 1928, Page 9

At Gettysburg Coolidge Lauds Big Peace Plan

One of Most Impressive World Has Ever Seen ALL NATIONS UNDER LAW (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian Press Association) GETTYSBURG, Wednesday. Standing on one of the most sanguinary battlegrounds of the Civil War, namely, the field of Gettysburg, President Coolidge, at the Memorial Day celebration, expressed an earnest hope that the negotiations initiated by the United States Government toward the outlawry of war might be crowned with success. The President referred to the proposal made in 1827 by M. Aristide Briand, the French Foreign Minister, that France and the United States should sign - a treaty condemning recourse to war, and renouncing it as an instrument of national policy in their mutual relations. Mr. Coolidge said in part: “During the 11 months that have since elapsed, this suggestion ? - has been developed into one or the most impressive peace movements the world has ever seen.” The United States had accepted the principle underlying M. Briand’s suggestion, and had also advocated its extension so as to include within the scope of the proposed treaty not only France and the United States, but also Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, and any other nations of the world that might care to join with these six Powers in a common renunciation of war. “Not only has the idea of a multilateral treaty for the renunciation of war been endorsed by public opinion here and abroad, but also the Governments themselves have approached the matter with an interest and sympathy which is most encouraging. “War means the application of force; peace means the application of reason. War is complete lawlessness; peace is the rule of law, and the principal effort of civilisation is, after all, to bring the world under obedience to law.”

WAR CLEARLY RENOUNCED NOTES TO THE POWERS FORECAST OF THE DRAFT (Australian Press Association.) WASHINGTON, Tuesday. Definite proposals to the "World Powers that they shall subscribe to a multi-lateral treaty denouncing war are expected to be made by the Secretary of State, Mr. F. B. Kellogg, in identic Notes. These are now under preparation, and are likely to be forwarded to the various Foreign Offices next week. It is understood that the Notes will set forth the draft of treaty to which it is believed the Powers can subscribe. According to an authoritative forecast, the draft will be drawn up meet the fundamental idea ‘of Mr. Kellogg for a simple, unqualified renunciation of war, and at the same time to conform to the point of view of the Powers as expressed in the diplomatic exchanges recently conducted. Notes will be sent to Britain and her Dominions, to France, Italy, and to Japan. It is intimated that Mr. Kellogg will disclose in the Notes that he has found the nations generally in accord with his proposition, and will invite adherence to the treaty on that basis. It is generally assumed that the draft will contain two safeguards—one assuring the right of self-defence, and the other guaranteeing such peace pacts at those of Locarno and the League of Nations against abridgement. The disposition of Mr. Kellogg wiW_

be to leave the language of his original draft treaty unchanged, so that its two articles will set forth a clear, unqualified renunciation of war, with interpretations left to other devices. COOLIDGE NAMED AGAIN AMERICAN PRESIDENCY REPUBLICAN’S PREDICTION (United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright) (Australian Press Association) WASHINGTON, Tuesday. Speaking in the House of Representatives, Mr. T. S. "Williams, Republican member for Illinois, predicted that the President, Mr. Calvin Coolidge, will be nominated for another term, and that he will be re-elected, unless he makes a positive statement in time to prevent the party convention at Kansas City from nominating him. Mr. "Williams said that the 1924 Congress had often obstructed Mr. Coolidge’s policies, yet the people gave the President an overwhelming majority. The same thing would occur this year unless the President’s own positive statement that he wfill not accept nomination is forthcoming. -The first returns from the West Virginian primaries came to hand to-day. For the Democrat nomination, Mr. Ai. Smith, Governor New York, is leading Senator J. Reed, of Missouri, and for the Republican vote Mr. H. C. Hoover is leading Mr. G. D. Goff, who represents the State in the Senate.