The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1920-09-16

Marion. O. Especially = Senator War
rem G.. Harding, Republican nominee
for President, in speech delivered to
. delegation from Indiana which called
on him here to pledge the support OF
Indiana Republicans. declared that
twice President Wilson had an oppor
tunity to obtain ratification of the
League OF Nations covenant and that
be put ratification aside because he
would not accept reservations designed
solely to safeguard American rights
Senator Harding said:
Il greet you in spirit OF rejoicing |;
not rejoicing In the narrow personal
Or partisan sense, not In the gratifying
prospects of party triumph. not In the
contemplation of abundance in the
harvest fields and ripening corn fields
and maturing orchards; not In the re-
assuring approach of stability after a
period OF wiggling and wobbling which
magnified our though all
Of these are ample for our wide re-
Ioicing but rejoice that America Is
still free and independent and In po-
,ition OF self-reliance and holds to the
right OF self-determination. which are
priceless possessions In the present
turbulence of the world.
Let US suppose the senate had rat
flied the peace treaty containing the
league covenant as submitted to 1t by
The president In July of last year.
what would be the situation confront
ing our common country today? To
any mind there Is but one answer. Be-
tore this day we would have been
called upon to fulfill the obligations
which we had assumed under Article
10 of the league covenant, to preserve
he territorial integrity OF Poland as
against external aggression
Sympathy for Poland.
81 shall not now attempt to meas
are the boundless sympathy for the
lest aspirations and restored independ-
snce of Poland. Our present concern
IS the international situation which
Poland has brought to our attention.
The council Of the League OF Ma
lions would have reasoned. and rea
soned correctly. that the United States
could furnish the munitions and. II
,ecessary. the men to withstand the
aordes advancing from Russia far
more easily than could the exhausted
aations OF Europe Moreover, mas
much as this would be the first test
If the scheme OF world government
which was formulated and demanded
by the President, speaking for the
United States, the fact of a special
responsibility. resting upon our should
srs. manifostly would have been un.
ieniable. Undoubtedly the league
council, In advising upon the means
oy which the obligations to POLAND
should be fulfilled. as provided IN the
covenant. would have so held and
probably the conscience OF America.
certainly the opinion Of the world.
would have sustained that Judgment.
The conclusion that our country
might now be confronted by such
situation, II the senate had ratified
the league covenant. requires no
stretch OF the imagination. None can
ieny that It Is possible To many
candid minds, as to my own. such
distressing situation will seem high
" probable. Let us assume that the
ratification had taken place. Let No
assume. further, that the performance
of the allotted task required the wag-
ing of war upon the Russian people,
IS, Of course. It would. what would
result: what would Of necessity have
20 result? Nothing necessarily, We
are giibly informed. since only the
Congress can declare war. and the
Congress might reject the appeal Of
The executive. But would the Congress
10 that? Could the Congress do that
without staining indelibly the honor
Of the nation?
Answer 10 ANo."
II answer No. and say II not on
my own authority alone, Back OF my
Judgment stands the President Of the
United States. Upon that point there
is frst-hand information. IN the course
u the discussion which took place az
the meeting Of the President and the
senate Committee on Foreign Rela-
lions raised the question ~ stating
/ Hypothetical case precise1y analogous
to that which | have depicted. and then
inquired whcfner - might MOI right
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