New-York tribune., 1920-10-31
Taft Appeals
For Senate to
Back Harding! g!
Former President, at New
Haven, Asserts Republi-
can Success Depends on
Election Of Loyal Congress
Assails Wilson Rule
Urges Return of Senator
Brandegee; Says La Fol
lette Is Outside Party

night, vigorously assailed the Admins
tration of President Wilson and an
nounccd his unqualified support of Sen
ator Frank B. Brandegee to succeed
himself.
"lf Mr.. Harding is to be useful in
meeting the crying need for wise re-
construction" he said in explanation,
"and for remedyirg the abuses, the
waste ard the negl gence OF the Wilson
Adm inistration, he must have ma jor-
ity OF Republicans in each house. He
undoubtedly will have such majority
in the House of representatives., be
cause the vote he will receive will mean
the necessary return Of republican
Representatives enough safely to con-
troll the lower house, but in the Senate
it is not so clear. This is shown by the
fact that in order to maintain it. the
Republicans must have the vote of Mr.
La touette, who is no. Republican,
There are three or four other Sen
ators, nominaily Republicans. who
is Of critical Importance. therefore. in
making the next Republican Admins
trat!on success tnat Rerup lean
Senator'S be substituted for Democrats.
For this reason l am going to vote
Tor Frank B. Brandegee. How can
this be done. you ask, when Brande-
gee is bitter -ender? If by the cleo
tion of Mr.. Brandegees opponentsI
could secure the ratification of the
League of Nations, with or without
Republican reservations, and by the
election of MIR. Brandegee that result
would be defeated, would vote
against Mr. Brandogee, because | deem
the League of Nations of higher OBJ
hgation for me than party
League Fate Not Involved
But it is not true that by electing
Mr.. Loncrgan instead of Mr.. Bran
degee there is the slightest probability
that the cause of the League Of Ma
tions will be advanced Mr.. Lonergan
stands on the Democratic platform,
and is behind Mr.. Wilson in his view
and approves the course which he took
in rejecting the league without Ar
ticle K. For practical purposes, in ad-
vanclng the cause Of a League of Ma
tons to avoid war and make peace per-
manent, | regard Mr. Wilson's stand in
insisting an impossible Article X or no
league as being as much that OF bit
Render on the Democratic side as Mr..
Brandegee is on the Republican SIDE
Their joint efforts were necessary to
defeat the league, and they succeeded
Mr.. Cox and Mr.. Lonergan occupy
the same position. Mr.. Lonergan and
MIR. Cox say, as the Democratic plat
form said, that they don't object to
clarifying reservations that do not de-
stroy the force of the league Mr.,
10
also manifest that they regard the
striking out of Article K as multiplying
or destroying the force of the league
The election of Mr.. Lonergan, there
fore. under Mr.. Cox's administration
would not affect in the slightest the
power Of the hold-over Republican
Senators to defeat the league with
Article in it. and neither he nor Mr.
Cox would favor the league without
Article x, or such q league as that
which Mr. Harding proposes, if he is
elected.
Il knew the bitterness with which
Mr.. Brandegee has fought the league.
am aware OF what | ma call his
unparliamentary characterizations of
those who have supported the league,
including especially your humble SER
want. Mr.. Brandegee's tongue at times
is an unruly member. But personal
oonside rations Of that sort should not
and do not affect me; at least, hope
they do not, for, in heat, we all talk
too much.
"Mr Brandegee's opposition to the
league is said to be due to his hatred
Of Mr.. Wilson and not to sincere CON
victlon. The psychological growth Of
ones views ia sometimes hard to
analyze.
Supports Harding Program
"Mr Brandegee, in his recent at
tacks upon the league, has indicated
willingness to support Nj Harding
and to vote for an association Of
nations providing for such an inter
'-ational court for the decision of
justiciable questions as that which Mr..
Root and SIR Walter Philiimore have
recommended to the existing League
and which is likely to be adopted, and
to vote also for an agreement between
nations, for the holding Of an i'm
mediate conference whenever non
,usticiablc ISSUE threatens to lead TO
war. My recollection is that Mr..
Brandcgec voted for the arbitrstion
France and England which | submitted
TO the Senate, and which were emascu-
lated By 1t through ,hc caucusng of
INC Democrats IN the senate.
Il am not without nope, therefore,
that II MI. Harding succeeds in sccur-
irg the agreement Of the other nations
to an amended league, based on the
remnant Of the existing lesgue, such as
ne proposes, Mr. Brandegee viii not
obstruct it."
Mr. Taft then dw,lt at length on
Mr. Wilson's Administration He
SAID that Tuesdays election would not
be referendum, the ~-sult OF which
would determine whether the American
people arc in favor of tbs league or
not but would merely solve the ISSUE
OF w ether the Administration of Pres
ldent WI had been a success.
Concerning this he said.
IL Is unfair for Governor Cox 20
AVOID the issues presented by review
ef the Wilson Administration" he as
s"rtcd, by pushing the league ques-
ton 10 tne front as il it were TO be
decided 9 TINS camp n.
He IL thus furnishing a plsusible
hut unjust ground 20 the enemies Of
ne league py claiming that the great
Republican victory winch is TO be
e'stered VIII De Il condemnation OF
the league, with or without rescvya-
'ions. II viii be nothing OF the sort
\ Republican victory means Il d.Sar-
proval Of tie Wilson Administration
and desire TO transfer power TO the
Republican party
Referring to Presiders Wilson'S
health. MI Taft SAID.
I nder ordinarr circumstances il
would be uucraclous 10 dwell uDon the
errors and shortcomings OF Presiden,