Standing before the United States Naval Academy’s 438 member graduating class on June 3, 1925, President Coolidge reaffirmed his expectations for the proper use of military power,
“I am not unfamiliar with the claim that if only we had a sufficient military establishment no one would ever molest us. I know of no nation in history that has ever been able to attain that position. I see no reason to expect that we could be the exception. Although I believe thoroughly in adequate military preparations, what I am trying to argue is that they are not sufficient unto themselves. I do not believe the American Navy can succeed if it represents mere naked force. I want to see it represent much more than that. We must place it on a much higher plane. We must make it an instrument of righteousness. If we are to promote peace on earth, we must have a great deal more than the power of the sword. We must call into action the spiritual and moral forces of mankind.”
“The Mind of the President” New York: Doubleday, Page and Company, 1926, p.52.
The Importance of the Obvious 