"Think of America first and ignore the inherited hatreds and rivalries of Europe" was the advice given by David I. Walsh, senator U.S. senator from Massachusetts, in a speech before the American Independence League in the Kirkland House Common Room last night.

Urging a spirit of aloofness to the chaos in Europe, Walsh backed his policy of "complete neutrality" in spite of what happens in Europe. "Why," he pointed out, "should the United States, a government designed to give the greatest, amount of blessings to all and strongly protected by nature from the belligerent world, risk its future happiness and security by taking sides in a fight in which it has no real concern?"

Regrets Embargo Repeal

Walsh, a Democrat and chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee, told an audience of nearly 200: "We should have learned our lesson from the last war." He felt the repeal of the arms embargo was a step toward weakening our traditional neutrality and jeopardized our position in world affairs.

A strong navy is essential to American safety in the present crisis, the senator said. Building up our maritime strength to the allowance of the 5-6-8 ratio need not be interpreted as violating our position as a strictly neutral nation, he remarked.