Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1920-09-16

Marion. q. Especially Senator War
rem g. Harding, Republican nominee
for President, In "A speech delivered to
a delegation from Indiana which called
on him here To pledge the support Of
Indiana Republicans, declared that
twice President Wilson had an oppor-
tunity to obtain ratification Of the
League Of Nations covenant and that
he put ratification aside because he
would not accept reservations designed
solely to safeguard American rights.
Senator Harding said:
II greet you In a spirit Of rejoicing
not rejoicing In the narrow personal
or partisan sense, not In the gratifying
prospects OF party triumph not in the
contemplation Of abundance In the
harvest fields md ripening corn fields
and maturing orchards not In the re-
assuring approach Of stability after a
period of wiggling and wobhllng which
magnified our uncertainty--thongh oil
Of these are ample for our wide re-
Ijoicing-but ! rejoice that America In
still free and independent and In po-
sitton Of self-reliance and holds To the
right If self-determinAtion, which are
priceless possessions In the present
turbulence Of the world.
Let W. suppose the senate had rat
ified the peace treaty containing the
league covenant ~ submitted to II by
the president In July Of las, year.
what would he the situation confront
ting our common country today To
my mind there II but one answer. He
fore this day We would have been
which we had assumed under Article
10 Of the league covenant, to preserve
the territorial integrity NJ Poland 'as
against external aggression
sympathy Tor Poland.
II shall not now attempt to meas
ure the b0undless sympathy for the
Just aspirations aud restored independ-
ence Of Poland. Our present concern
is the international situation which
Poland has brought 10 our attention.
'"rhe council of the League III Ma.
tions would have reasoned, and rea-
soned correctly, that the United States
could furnish the munitions and, II
necessary. the men 10 withstand the
hordcs advancing from Russia fur
mere easily than could the exhausted
nations Of Europe. Moreover, mas
much as this would he the first test
Of the scheme Of world government
which was formulated aud demanded
by the President. speaking for the
United States. the fact of n special
responsibility, resting upon our should
lcrs. mnnifcs,ly would have been un.
dcniable. Undoubtedly the league
rourcil In advising upon the means
Ihv which the obligations to Poland
rhould he fu'hiled rs provided In the
covenant would have SO held. and
probably the conscience Of America,
certainly The opinion " the world.
would have sustained that Judgment.
THE conclusion that our country
might now be confronted 10y such n
situation, II the senate had ratified
the Ie. .,ue ccyenrni, requires no
stretcl, ~ the Imagination. None cnn
deny THAI " ~ possible. To many
candle. minds. as ID my own. such n
distressing situation will seem high
Ily probable Let us assume that the
ratiiieation had taken place. l.t MS
assume. further. that the performance
OF the allotted task required The was
ing ~ war upon the Russian people
~ ~ course. II would what woult
result wha. wonld of necessity hav.
Ito rcsultp Nothing necessarily. W,
are giihiv informed since only tn,
ICongres might -ciec the appeal o
THE executive But woue the Congress
lido thai2 Could he Congress do thu
without starring indeiihly the homo
Of the nationf
Answer 10 "No."
II answer No. and | say Il not o
my own authority alone Back az m
itndgmen, stands the President OF IN
United States. Upon that point Their
lis nrsthand information. In the cours
OF the discussion which took place ,
the meeting OF the President and II
Senate Committee on Foreign Rel
tons raised the question by statir
la Hypothetical case precisely analogo,
ito that which have depicted. and the
= linQuired whether We might not RICH
fully be regarded a. a perhdlous pc