Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-08-07
90
REPUBLICANS AND LEAGUE

there will be a decided change IN
the kind of a campaign the Repub-
licans have been putting up thus
far in regard to the League of
Nations when Elihu Root returns
from Europe. Mr.. Root is, with
out doubt, the one big man in the
Republican party today. What he
says is listened to with the utmost
attention and his advice is very
likely to be accepted.
On the League of Nations in
particular is Mr.. Root the Republic
can authority. 1t has never been
denied that he wrote the League of
Nations plank that is in the Repub-
lican platform; it is Mr.. Root.
therefore, who will give the correct
interpretation of 1t. Rest assured
that Senator Harding will readily
agree 10 anything that Mr.. Root
says even IL 1t requires him TO eat
his own words.
When the Republican plank on
the League OF Nations was adopted
it was pretty generally admitted
that IT could be taken to mean al
most anything anybody wanted TO
make of it. Republicans who are
friends of the league interpreted
the plank in a way that suited
them. while the "bitter-enders" of
the Hiram johnson stripe saw in it
a great victory for those who OPP
pose the league in n form.
It was expected that Senator
Harding. in his speech of accept
ance, would clear up the situation
and SO interpret the platform plank
hat there could be no misunder-
standing. But Senator Harding vas
also vague in setting forth his
Jews. although it is admitted that
e gave decidedly more comfort TO
e opponents of the league than he
i'd to those who favor 1t. Since his
peech of acceptance Senator Hard
ng has gone over more and more
0 the league opponents greatly to
he disappointment of many loyal
Republicans. as former President
Taft expresses it. Mr.. Taft excuses
the candidates utterances on the
ground that he is endeavoring TO
keep the Johnson-Borah faction
from boiling. On the issue of the
League of Nations, therefore, the
tendency has been to make the Re-
publican party the opponent of the
league while the Democratic party
is taking a strong stand in favor Of
the covenant.
But all this time Eiihu Root has
been in Europe. He has been on a
mission connected with the League
Of Nations. He was asked. as one
Of the great authorities on internal
tional law, to help organize the in
ternational court that is to function
under the covenant OF the League Of
Nations.
While in Europe Mr.. Root has
learned q great many things. The
court that he has been 30 interested
in and in the organization of which
he has played such an active part.
is to be submitted to the council of
the League Of Nations for adoption
and unless 1T is adopted by this
council it fails utterly. One would
think, under the circumstances.
that this fact alone would. in a
measure. commit Mr.. Root to the
League of Nations.
But there is more than this to
convince one that Mr.. Root will be
inclined to favor the league. Since
finishing his work in connection
with the organization Of the inter
national court he has been in close
touch with the heads OF the Euro
pean governments He has gained
drst hand knowledge OF the situa-
ton in Europe and he is a bis
enough man to realize the effect THU
situation on the other side of tbs
Atlantic viii have on America. HI
must understand fully just whaI
p>r< America has got to play | n or
Ger q mzzs Apericz. as well a tn