Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-21
HARDING DENIES Il.
SHIFT ON LEAGUE
Declares Democrats Attempt to
Divert Attention From
Chaos at Home
SPEAKS AT ROCHESTER
BY the Associated Press

Rochester, N. ", Oct. 21.-Making
his first speech Of the campaign In New
York state, Senator Harding again
challenged his Democratic opponents
here today to show by his public utter.
ances where he has changed, his posi-
ticn on the League Of Nations since he
accepted the Republican nomination.
Restating his stand, he declared the ma
ton "cannot take seriously the Demo
cratic insistence that the covenant shall
be considered for acceptance as 1t
stands" and added that for "such a
rejection" he had stood unfalingly.
He also asserted that he had fa-
vored consistently an international as
sociation in the interest of peace. but
could not under present conditions frame
n definite and specific plan.
~ am not that kind Of candidate
he continued. "It IL easy enough for a
candidate who Is going to lose to say
almost anything about a League OF Ma
tions or any future plans for America.
Sees Tragic .NIismanagement
L He DelHOCTHtlC IOFCtN nave para
mounted the solemn referendum Of our
foreign relations, and We have gladly
accepted, but that does not blind us to
the fact that 1t is designed to divert
attention from the unhappy failure Of
domestic administration. The great and
solemn referendum will not make the
American people forget the tragic mis-
management Of their own affairs, be-
cause they have long since passed judg-
ment on our foreign relations.
Surely the American people cannot
take seriously the Democratic insistence
that the Paris covenant shall still be
considered, as platform and candidates
insist, for acceptance as it stands. Such
rejection has been twice recorded.
have repeatedly spoken such rejection
from the day Of accepting my nomina-
tion with unfailing consistency.
But have never stopped there. I
challenge contradiction. ! invite any
mans parallel Of utterances which are
not in accord. have unfailingly said
that we wish to associate with other
nations and to end war and promote and
preserve peace.
THE other nations Of the world are
wiser than our political opponents. They
have accepted the fact that there is no
hope Of uniting Americans or even a
very substantial minority behind the i'm
possible proposal that we had accepted
the covenant as written. The foreign
nations have set their faces to the fu-
ture. So must America, so must every
friend of the new and better order.
No Desire to Dictate
"If I believed in attempting to ex-
press the purpose of the American peo-
pie before being clothed with authority
to consult them. II desired to dictate
to foreign nations, it would bc possible
for me to suggest new league. and
say to the nations Of the earth and to
my native countrymen: Take this or
take nothing But am not that kind
Of n candidate.
"No man in my position, with any
conscience whatever, or any sense Of his
responsibility, could have the effrontory
or tho lack or craftsmanship which
would allow him to present plan which
might have to be revised because of the
happenings in rapid flow of events
or because the public opinion Of Amer !.
lea had not been consulted sufficiently
Il trust that il will not be improper
/ for us to consider as n hypothetical
question where the country would find
itself in regard to the League of Ma
| tions even If my opponent were elected.
The very latest conner into politics knows
very well that it is numerically i'm =
possible for my opponent to obtain
enough votes in the Senate to make good
| his program or even remotely approach
success in making good his program.
Chaos In Home Affairs
"How is it possible to take seriously