Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-11-04
TAFT SAYS HARDING
| WILL SPEED PEACE
Former President Denies EIec-
ton Result Is Slap at League
'... Of Nations
MERELY PURGES COVENANT
(Repyintcd from Public LEDGER

! (Rep,infod from Public Ledger)
Copyright. s9e0, by Public Ledger Co.
New Haven. Conn, Nov. 4.-Wil-
liam Howard Taft yesterday gave out
the following statement exclusively for
the PUBLIC LEDGER:
The sweeping character Of the Rcpub
fiean victory most people expected, bu'
that it should reach the unprecedcnte'
proportions which it has reached was
surprice. The majority Of a million In
New York for Mr.. Harding will stand
out in the political history of the coun-
try. and is not likely 70 be repeated for
many, many yeors. IL ever.
There will be divergent views as to
the meaning Of the election. and yet
most observers will conclude that the
election is nothing but the elimination
OF trend against Mr.. Wilson's admin.
istration that began before the war
closed and before the League of Nations
tested itself in the election Of 1913, and
that continued to grow in momentum
until Tuesday last.
Aided Dy League EnemleS
There are localities where the League
OF Nations doubtless played an impor-
fant part, particularly Article X. The
Irish and the Germans were especially
bitter against any league Of nations
which included Great Britain, and re-
sponded to the arguments made by the
opponents of the league with eager
ness and emphasis. This doubtless ex-
plains the very large vote for Mr..
Harding in New York and Boston,
usually Democratic strongholds. The
enemies Of the league will maintain that
the general verdict is one completely ad-
verse to any league, but this will not be
the reasonable judgment Of those who
have followed Mr.. Harding's promises
In his speech Of acceptance, in his
speech Of August 2S, in his Des Moines
speech and his Indianapolis speech.
We may be sure that Mr.. Harding
will fulfill his agreement with the pub
lie, ana will begin now, 10 study how
he can reach thu influential .memters Of
the existing league to induce them to
enter into a new league or association
which shall not have the features of
tho existing league. to which he has
offered serious objection.
Must Eliminate Article Y
These objections are four fold. One is
to Article y, which, of course, must
lie eliminated if the United States Is to
enter a league.
The second is to the character Of the
reference to the Monroe Doctrine in the
League of Nations, which he thinks
not broad enough to secure to the United
States full right and discretion to assert
the Monroe Doctrine az always.
Tho third 10 n fha oh n uctpr Of tho
tribunals of the present league. in that
they are not framed as court should
be. and Rrc not to be constituted OF
judges and jurists but of diplomatists
and executive statesmen and politicians.
For this, therefore, must be substituted
an international court of tho kind rec
ommended to the existing league by the
Root Phillimore commission.
Fourth, he objects to the labor chap
ter Of the league and would not havc
It operate, except as Congress may
Voluntarily, when occasion arises. ac-
cept its provisions. These, with the sub
ject matter Of Republican reservations,
constitute all 'he objections which have
been expressG by Mr.. Harding.
Election Brings Peace Nearer
The resolution declaring peace will be
the recognition of peace which from a
domestic standpoint will end all war
powers and will repeal the war statutes.
But the question Of settling the rights
between Germany and the United States
will still remain. 1t will he much easier
10 fix these rights by building the new
association of nations on the remnant
Of the league left after the Objectionable
features are eliminated, than to at
tempt an entirely new organization. The
treaty itself provides that amendments
TO the league shall not in any way
interfere with the obligation Of Germany
10 the treaty as a whole.
When the league and treaty have been
purged of their Objectionable features
in accord with the Republican reserya-
tions, and with Mr.. Harding's policy,
as declared In his campaign speeches,
II is hard to see what objection there
can be to settling the terms Of peace
by ratifying the treaty with all these
changes.
Mr.. Harding, with his enormous ma
5ority, coming into power after eight
years Of Democracy, will naturally have
great prestige and strong leadership in
his party. He will hear all views and
with tact and kindly consideration asa
his followers to aid him in the fullest
performance of the promises of the Re
publican platform and his own. The
majority of the Republicans in the new
Senate may be eighteen. This will
prevent n few dissents from blocking
Nartp ,oI;oy -, Jo,,out;n .oakto,a