Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-07
.HARD|NG'S PLAN
/. TO SCRAP TREATY?
POUT|C|ANSASK
Reply to Wickersham May
Mean He Seeks Entire
New Fabric.
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

BY N. o. MESSENGEH.
Attention Of politicians in Wash
ington was drawn today to Candidate
Harding's latest pronouncement on
the league of nations. which was con-
strued to indicate his taking po-
sition somewhat in advance of any he
has thus far occupied on that subject.
His utterance was called forth by the
statement of former Attorney General
Wickersham the day before that Sena-
tor Harding would not finally reject
the treaty.
Without asserting to or refuting Mr..
WickerSham's Interpretation OF his
position, Senator Harding had this to
say:
1T is folly to talk about specific
program. The specific thing must be
evolved out of a conference of the
best thught and highest capacity
which can be brought together, not
the diction of one spokesman.
I'VE are all agreed now that amend
ment or revision or reconstruction is
possible and vastly better than res
ervations. Moreover. Europe is in
accord and has suggested that we
lead the way"
Will He Scrap Old Treaty.
What the politicians discussed to-
day was whether Senator Harding in
dicates as his course, il he is elected
President. that he will scrap" the en-
tire covenant Of the league and insist
upon q new conference of representa-
tives of the powers to frame a new
league of nations rather than reSub-
init the treaty to the Senate with rec
ommendation for it's ratification with
the reservations hitherto agreed upon.
Another question raised was what
has become of the treaty, anyhow.
and what will be it's physical status
when new President. democrat or
republican, is elected? The treaty is
not before the Senate. When last
publicly heard from it was in the
hands of President Wilson. When
the fourth of March arrives what will
become OF the document? If he has
that naturally he would hand the
papers over to him and the new Pres
ident would resubmit them to the
Senate with such recommendations
as he might see fit to formulate. If
republican Successor would he give
the treaty to him with a sardonic
smile or send the papers to the State
Department and let his successor dig
them out of the archives or allow
them to remain. as he might choose !?
See Hint Of New Course.
The politicians were inclined to
place significance upon Senator Hard
ing's statement that amendment, re-
vision or reconstruction 10 possible
and vastly better than reservations"
They thought this indicated that shk,
may have in mind proceeding upon
a new line. and in fact ifsreraras thA
old treaty entirely.
Candidate Cox. for his part. having
expressed himself as in full accord
with the President on the league of
hn
the politicians say, to submit the oii
document at once with recommended
ton for it's ratification with snch
reservations as may not take the heart
out OF the covenant. Nobody knows
what his interpretations of nugatory
ance that he holds with President vii
son In general terms, and the President
has stated specifically that the reserva.
tion to article X. for instance, would
take the heart out.
William ]. Bryan's contention that
the Two political parties are "waeinp
a sham battle" over the league of ma
tons also came in for discussion TO-
day. At San Francisco Mr.. BRYAN
pointed cut that neither party could
hope to get two-thirds of the Senate
Tor ratification of the treaty according
10 party standards. According to the
transcript of the stenographic notes
OF his celebrated speech to the demo-
CT attic national convention, which Mr.
Bryan brought to Washington in his
bag, he said then:
Can be No Two-Thirds Majority
IF you make this an issue in this
campaign. If democrats and renuh-
iicans spend four months denouncinr
each other, you make it impossible
to secure ratification at the end of
the campaign. because eyerybodv
knows that neither party will have a
tWo-th1rds majority in the Senate
When this campaign is over. am NOT
willing to be party to it,"
He pointed out that he had made
more speeches for ratification without
reservations than any other public
man. never consented to a single
reservation, he said, until l was
convinced, as everybody else must
nave oeeh oy that time, that ratifica-
ton without reservations was impos-
sible."
Republican national manager have
been apprehensive for some time thai
Candidate Harding might go bevonG
the Platform declaration of his na rt,,
and join with the irreconcilables of
the Senate, the treaty killers" tbus
accentuating the issue of the Ieaeue
of nations and the differences he
tween his and Candidate Cox's nosi.
tions. HoS'
Recently their concern has been in.
creased oy Senator Hiram Johnson's
conndent claim that the republican
candioate Is for killing the league
ouirlgnt. Inc managers are known
TO De awaiting further announcements
by their candidate and speeches h~
Senator johnson with anxiety.