Date: August 13, 1930
Location: Northampton, MA
(Original document available here)
The peace-time services of the Navy are very important. In exploration Admiral Peary was the first to reach the North Pole, while Admiral Byrd was the first to fly over both the North and South Poles. They increased the sum of human knowledge.
In civil affairs, Admiral Bristol for years after the war was our High Commissioner at Constantinople, winning great diplomatic distinction. The Marine Corps supplied General Russell to serve long in Hayti and General Butler to go at a critical time to head the police at Philadelphia. The administration of certain insular possessions has been creditably discharged by the Navy Department. The Naval observatory at Washington makes valuable contributions to pure and applied science.
But it is in time of great disaster, like the Japanese earthquake or the San Francisco fire, that the ships, supplies and medical staff of the Navy make most conspicuous contributions. Such a service is never forgotten. Only recently it was the basis of a good-will visit here of a Japanese delegation.
The organized talent and scientific skill of our Navy is a great reserve power for good.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge Says: Dispatches Written by Former-President Coolidge and Syndicated to Newspapers in 1930-1931 (Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation)
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of John Sullivan III who prepared this document for digital publication.