The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-18
FREDERIC COUDERT
OUT FOR HARDING
Lifelong Democrat Thinks
Party Unable to Meet Prob
lens of the Day.
BLAMES WILSON METHOD
Believes in Cooperation, but
League Of Nations Not
the Real Issue.

Frederic r. Coudert, prominent attor-
new and all his life actively identified
with the activities of the Democratic
party, has come out in support of Sem
ator Harding and Gov. Coolidge. Mr.
Coudert bases his change of heart on two
main propositions. First. that the DEM
ocratic party has demonstrated its In
ability to meet the problems OF the day.
and, second, that the Wilson League OF
Nations is not the real Issue of the cam
paign. He declares that no league advo-
Gated merely by party can muster suf-
ficient popular support to make 1t worth
while and binding under unfavorable
circumstances that might arise, and that.
therefore, whatever international assoc
citation or tribunal may be agreed TO by
this country should be the product OF
many minds qualified to contribute to
that subject. Mr.. Coudert declares his
belief that the Republican party is bet
ter able to achieve that end than the
Democratic party.
Mr.. Coudert's withdrawal from the
Democratic ranks was revealed in let
ter 10 Henry A. Wise of the Republican
-S.!cnai Committee, In which he en-
closed a check for 500 as a contribu-
ton to the Republican campaign. The
letter was made public yesterday.
january bolt Recalled.
Mr.. Coudert's announcement OF his
support Of the Republican national ticket
follows his bolt from the Democratic
party last January, when he joined
the campaign to gain the Republican
Presidential nomination for Gen. Leon
ard Wood.
Mr.. Coudert's reasons for supporting
Harding are in part as follows:
1.-THE experience of the past years
seems to have demonstrated the inability
of the Democratic party to produce
sufficiently sound and practical leader
ship to meet the problems Of the day.
The fact that the official and natural
leaders of that party have abdicated re-
sponsibility in blindly following the
President is. OF course, no justification
for the party itself. Under our system
n party can only ask to be maintained
in power on the record that 1t has made.
and the record of the party cannot be
disassociated from that of President
Wilson. Gov. Cox does not, therefore,
adequately or accurately state the situa-
ton when he says. Cox Is running, not
Wilson, The real truth is that the
Democratic party Is running.
1.-THE growing tendency toward execu-
tive dictatorship Is a very real danger;
IL has gone very far under the present
Executive and is in itself quite sufficient
TO justify change of administration.
The inability Of the Senate minority,
despite the personal opinions of 50 many
of It's members, to induce the President
TO reach an agreement with the Senate
indicates an almost pathetic bankruptcy
OF leadership. The next four years will
require common sense and cooperative
ability in the Executive Mansion and in
Congress. We must have a President
who can work with other men and a
party with able leaders assuming cor
porate responsibility.
Favors American Cooperation.
The question of adherence to the ex-
listing League Of Nations. substantially
unchanged. has been injected into the
campaign by President Wilson, and Is
stressed as the major issue by Gov. Cox
] am In favor of a cooperative arrange
ment with other world Powers to secure
better International relations and 10
create a mechanism. for the settlement
Of international disputes by arbitration
or mediation. Both parties. / take It,
are committed by their platforms to this
general proposition. and the cry of
league of no league is misleading The
real question is as to the desirability of
the present league in all its features"
Mr.. Coudert says that President Will
son made a fundamental error in max
ing the international relations of the
United States party question, and
that his effort to compel the Senate to
accept his version of the league whether
or no has led to the "deplorable situa-
ton in which America now stands in
foreign relations.
Had the President intended to act as
the real spokesman of the nation rather
than as a man in dominant position
with personal programme" continued
Mr.. Coudert. he would naturally have
consulted with leaders OF both parties
and avoided forcing our foreign reia-
tons into the partisan political arena
The truth Is the league is NOT. ana
should not be, n party question at ali
TO make It party question must nee