President Coolidge made it clear in his first message to
Congress on Thursday, December 6th, that for America " our main problems are domestic problems." In touching on foreign affairs he promised nothing. definite in the way of help for embarrassed Europe. He favoured the establishment of a World Court of Justice and com- mended the Court now in existence at the Hague, with the proviso that America could not join the League of Nations. He declined to have- dealings with the Bol- sheviks, so long as they denied " the sanctity of inter- national obligations " ; he detected signs of repentance in. them, but added that. " more were needed." He rejected the proposal to cancel the debts owing by France, Italy and other Allied countries ; these debts, as he said, gave America a direct interest in the recovery of Europe. The President went on to enforce the need for retrench- ment and a heavy reduction of the taxes which hampered industry and made farming unprofitable. The Army and Navy, however, should be strengthened. " We want no more war. But we want no weakness that invites imposition." Immigration should be restricted and all resident aliens should be registered. " Our duty now," he added, " is to help give stability to the world. . . . The time has come for a more practical use of moral power and more reliance upon the principle that right makes its own might." Acting in that spirit, the President may do. more for Europe than his opening remarks suggested. * * *
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