Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-12-14
ROOT AND
HARDING HOLD A
FOUR HOUR TALK
international Relations and
the Outlook for Accept
able Peace Association
Are Discussed.

Marion. o., Dec. 13.-President-
elect Harding today discussed the
problems of his administration with
Elihu Root, former secretary of
state and one of the most notable
of the nations elder statesmen.
International relations and the
prospect for an acceptable world
peace association held the center
of attention in their four-hour talk,
Mr.. Harding drawing eXhaustively
upon the recent experience of his
visitor as an adviser abroad in the
formation of a world court under
the Versailles treaty, The presi-
dent-elect asked questions about
details of the court plan and about
the present attitude of European
statesmen toward the league.
Is Gathering Information.
What advice Mr.. Root gave with
regard to reservations to the frame
work Of the league was not re-
vealed, nor would either comment
on the result of the conference eX-
cept to say that no conclusions had
been reached. 1t was indicated that
Mr.. Harding was attempting to
form no opinion for the present but
was content to gather information
and advice.
Coincident with Mr.. Roots visit,
it became known that Col. George
Harvey the New York editor, who
has been the guest of the presi-
dent-elect since Saturday, is urging
a. - - la
agreement that no nation would re-
sort to warfare until its people had
80 decided by referendum.
Colonel Harvey did not indicate
to what degree his proposal had
been approved, but he expressed
hope that some such provision
would be written into any world
association sponsored by the COM
ing administration.
The war referendum proposal
has been advanced many times
during the peace treaty fight and
several reservations embodying II
were introduced in the senate. one
of its leading advocates has been
William ]. Bryan, who is to con-
fer with Mr.. Harding Friday.
Root Is EVaSlVc.
After his talk with the president
elect Mr.. Root would make no
comment except to say that the in
terview had been VERY delightful
and interesting" In reply to re-
peated questions on specific sub
iects he reverted to his original
description of the conference, Civ
ing no indication whether domestic
questions or such subjects as cab
met appointments were discussed
Except for the cordial manner OF
the conference his visit threw nc
light on reports that he might he
| asked to become secretary of state
in the Harding administration.
In presenting the details of the
new world court, which was unani.
mopsly adopted today by the as
1 ienSly of the league of nations
| the former secretary is understood
/ to have suggested that a consider
able step toward peace might be-
| taken by amending arbitration
treaties the world over so that jus.
! tifiable questions would all bt
| referred to the tribunal for deci'
sion. There are about 200 sucf
| treaties now in existence but mos
of them provide for decisions by
non-permanent commissions of va
rious characters,
Explains Functions Of Court.
He added that the court n
planned by the commissions O.
which he was a member probabl!
! would not prevent wars of policy
such as the recent world war bu
would go a long way toward re
moving the element of danger from
questions arising from real differ
ence of opinions. The court, he ex
planned would have jurisdiction
only when both iitigants agreed t
put their quarrel in its hands,
| In all of his contemplation of
world association of nations Mi
| Harding has had in mind some sucl
international court and in outlin'
ing his campaign policy on thu
! league he suggested that The
Hague tribunal might furnish the
basis for such an institution. The
Hague court is not permanen
one. however, and has more of the
| aspects of a diplomatic conference
than of a legal establishment.
Tomorrow the senator will tall
over the league and other questions
with Governor william C. Sprou
of Pennsylvania and w. w. After
bury, president Of the Pennsylvania
railway who was head of the Amer
lean governments railroad system
in France during the war.