The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-28
DISCARD PACT AND PUT
Teeth IN HAGUE COURT
ONLY SOLUTION, ,'HE SAYS
Nominee Draws Line
Clearly Between Cox's
Attitude and Own.

Marion, Ohio, Aug. 2S.-Pro-
! nouncing the existing League OF Ma
tions an irredeemable failure, Sen
ator Harding today prophesied .
new effort to construct a world
association on the framework Of
The Hague tribunal. clothed with
such attributes of the league cove
nant as may be found safe and
practicable.
| He pledged himself, il elected, to
make an immediate effort, with the
advice of the ablest men OF both
political parties to form such an
association either by putting teeth
into The Hague court or by revising
the covenant TO protect national as
pirations.
The declaration, made in q front
porch speech to delegation OF In
diana Republicans, detailed the Re
publican nominees position on the
nations foreign relations. The SEN
ator replied directly to the argu-
ments OF his Democratic opponent,
Governor Cox, and declared the
league issue had been sQuarely
joined.
/ Breaks At First Test.
The league, the candidate as
serted, had broken down at its hrst
test in Poland and now had passed
beyond the possibility of restOra-
ton" He answered suggestions
that he be more specific by assert
ing that detailed specifications were
impossible in view of the changing
world opinion.
\ Passage Of a peace resolution, he
continued, would make an actual
and effective peace without negO-
tiation of a separate treaty With
Germany.
He also replied to charges Of un-
due senate influence by asserting
: that as president he would be quite
I as vigilant as he had been as .
senator to prevent trespass on that
branch of the government in which
he served.
If Senate Had Ratiied.
The text Of the speech follows IN
part:
: Let US suppose the senate had
7 ratified the peace treaty containing
: the league covenant. Before this
day We would have been called
3 upon to fulfill the obligations
which We had assumed under ar
ticle X, to preserve the territorial
integrity Of Poland as against ex-
( ternal aggression.
The council of the League OF
, Nations would have reasoned cor
, rectly that the United States could
+ furnish the munitions and if neces-
sary, the men far more easily than
> the exhausted nations of Europe.
We are glibly informed that since
only the congress can declare war,
the congress might reject the ap-
: peal of the executive. But would
the congress do that? No congress-
! would ever dare make this nation
, tappear as a welcher, as it would be
in such an event before the eyes
of the world.
Ready to Help ALL
, For myself, | yield to no man IN
willingness to render assistance to
Europe. l include even the ruth
less invader, Germany.
lit was with that feeling Of SYM
pathy that l voted to accept the
l league covenant with reservations.
The record is made ana under the
same conditions, l should vote now
as l voted then.
= But the conditions have changed.
4 The original league has passed be-
yond the possibility Of restoration.
Expects to Be Elected.
;, Now, it may appear that | have
been speaking chiefly in the mega
e tive. So many things have been
done by the present expiring ad-
e ministration that no power on earth
could induce me to do, that cannot
S even attempt to recount them.
d may remark casually. however, that
8 if l should be, as fully expect to
s be. elected president of this repub-
lie, | will not empower an assist
ant secretary Of the navy to draft q
constitution for helpless neighbOrs
in the West Indies and jam II
! down their throats at the point OF
bayonets, borne by United States
marines.
"On the other hand. will not or
J shall not, as you prefer. submit "a
any wrong to any American citizen.
with respect to either his life or
property by any government
This admonition is not directed
II exclusively toward our next door
II neighbor (Mexieo) to whom VI
o would gladly hold forth helping
e hand. 1t is intended for notice to
every government on the earth that
II the entire resources of this nation
Y, are pledged to maintain the sacred
II ness of American lives and the Just
It protection Of American properties.
How He and Cox Differ.
"The line Of demarcation be-
tween our attitude and that OF our
political opponents is perfectly
plain. The president still holds
Il article 10 to be the heart OF the
covenant. So does the Democratic
platform. So does the Democratic
y nominee. He has fatty said he wal
n in favor of going in on the basil
id announced by the president. an
er not. That Is the whole differenc
8, between US, but It Is most yits
ed one, because It involves the dii