The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-06-07
Senator Harding Asks G. o.
2. Delegates to Forget
Differences
RECONSTRUCTION
NOT RECRIMINA ALTON
Necessary if Relief is to be Had from
Disappointing and Distressing De-
mocratic Administration More
Rhetoric Than Resolution.


mocratic Administration = More
Rhetoric Than Resolution.
CHICAGO, June With plea for
party reunion, for reconstruction
rather than recrimination, United
States Senator Warren G. Harding, of
Ohio, in his address as temporary
chairman opened the Republican Nat
ional convention here today. Assert
ing that the country was wearied
afresh by disappointing and distres
sing Democratic administration, and
was calling for Republican relief, the
speaker, before undertaking to discuss
political issues, appealed to the dele
gates to forget the differences which
divided the party in 1912.
Referring to the administration 5
foreign policy in the European war.
Senator Harding declared that it had
spoken with more rhetoric than reso-
lution. Mexican negotiations he de-
scribed as the greatest fasco in Amer
lean foreign relations. He paid tribute
to Americanism of foreign birth with
brief reference to the few zealots who
would impugn the nation 5 neutrality
and urged a fraternity of American
republics under the Monroe doctrine
Advocating adequate national defense
he charged the Democratic party with
having interrupted Republican naval
construction and he criticised the army
organization bill. He also attacked
the administration shipping bill, the
effort being made to extend indepen-
dence to the Philippines, and made a
| plea for a return to the protective tar
| iff.
The world at war, preparedness and
America : foreign relations served as
| the basis for the Senator 5 first discus
| sion of the issues. The enormitv of
| the war in Europe, the tidal wave of
| distress and disaster, new wonders and
new hindrances in commerce had ut
/ terly changed economic conditions,
and 'these have attended embarress-
ments in American foreign relations. -
he said, "as difficult as those which
the individual citizen experiences
whose every neighbor is involved in
deadly quarrel.
% Everything is abnormal except the
depleted condition of the federal
treasury, which is characteristic of
Democratic control - he said, land
the facility of the administration for
writing varied notes without effective
notice. Amid these conditions. Amer
lea, he asserted had been singled out
for leadership among the neutral pow
ers, but the administration at Wash
ington spoke with more rhetoric than
resolution, and we came to realize that
the warning powers soon came to know
that the official American voice lacked
the volume of determined expression
that once demanded internationa.
heed, and we lacked the strength and
confidence in our own defenses.'
In the discussion of foreign rela
tions the temporary chairman made
particular reference to Americanism
to the course with Mexico and Will
e Europe. Beginning with Americanisn
he traced it back to the independence
} days when there were Americans from
I Great Britain, from Germany, from
France and Southern Europe whC
made 4 common cause. Since tha
70 time, he said, America s gates hat
K swung inward to the foreign born anC
a 'They are an inseparablc and impor
tant and valued part of our American
citizenship, and the Few zealots o
any origin who violate our neutralit,
do not, and can not, impugn the 10y
atty or the American patriotism o
that great body which adds to tn
swelling chorus of My Country Tis 0
9 Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty. -
= Expressing reluctance to speak o
- the division of American sentimen
:. relating to foreign affairs, Senate
= Harding discussed briefly the Mex
- can problem ''It must be said, fo
"a the truth s sake and clearer under
= standing, we have hungered in val
for that unflinching Americanism a
Washington which is needed to exal
the American SOUL he declared
''There is no geographic modifcatio
of American rights. They are tn
IS same III Mexico that they are on tn
high seas, and they are the same
Europe that they are in Asia, and al
! sacred everywhere, and the America
|, !, spirit demands their fullest prote
E ton.
= Respecting America s course wit
= Europe the temporary chairman asser
+. ed that no political party could dra
a variable chart for our ship of stai
amid Europe s warning ambitions
Justice, he continued, poin
the way through the safe channel
neutrality. There are dangers, seer
nt ing or real, looming on every sid
but we should feel secure along Il
80 course marked by International Ia
- ana onr own conscientious eonvictio
- of American rights Straight Aheai
4 shall be the command, and when pea
ar comes the sober Judgment Of t
Is Iworla viii exalt ns ever higher al
a.- higher rs a people strong IN heart ~