The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-07-14
CANDIDATES
EXCHANGING
FIRST SLAPS
Cox Says Harding Has Made
a Listening Post of Mar
ion Front Porch, in a Hot
Reply.
LATTER HITS LEAGUE

SoLS boo, ", july l4.-CnarP1nR
that Senator Harding, the Republican
nominee, had made his front porch"
a listening post" Governor Cox, the
Democratic nominee, today issued a
statement replying to Senator Hard
1ng's statement of yesterday, that the
Wilson administration had "saddled
the league Of nations upon him" as the
chief campaign issue.
Governor Cox's statement says that
his campaign will be dedicated to the
task of bringing peace and honor; of
readjusting the affairs of civilization.
and of creating a new day out of
which we will make the best of the
lessons of the past
The governor declared ''the things
Senator Harding believes vital and
pertinent from his isolated perspect-
I've, will not, in all probability, be SO
regarded by me-"
HYDE PARK, New York. July IL
FRANKLIN ID. Roosevelt, replying at his
home here to a charge of Senator
Harding that President Wilson had
forced the Democratic presidential and
V1ce-presidential nominees to accept
his views that the League of Nations
should become the dominant campaign
issue, declared he was quite willing.
as | know Governor Cox is, to let the
American people decide whether they
will go back to the condition Of 1914,
or whether they will join civilization
and humanity in this great step for
ward.
"The attempt by Senator Harding
yesterday he said, "to befog the true
League of Nations issue by dragging
in the name of President Wilson, Is
merely further evidence of the histor-
ical fact that a certain type Of sena-
torial mind cares more about squaring
an ancient grudge against an individ-
ual than 1t does to consider the true
welfare of the nation
MARION, O., July 14.-Senator
Harding charged in statement Tues
Gay night that President Wilson had
forced the Democratic presidential
and vice presidential nominees to ac-
cept his views that the league Of
nations should become the dominant
campaign issue.
The presidents one concern, the
senator said, is the "vindication of his
foreign policy" and he insists upon
his issue regardless of costs or conse-
Quences.
The Republican party and candi
SoOSS SloOls dSNCpL lIlo SudllSnSc,
the statement said. I'VE are moro
than willing to make the election a
national referendum on the question
whether we shall have four years more
of the Democratic readiness to sur
render this republic"
The statement resulted from the an
nouncement of Franklin D. Roosevelt,
the vice presidential candidate, follow
ing his conference yesterday with Gov
ernor Cox, that his campaign would
be made chiefly on the league of
nations issue.
Senator Harding said in part:
The Democratic compaign Is going
to harness the party absolutely to the
administration policy of ratification
without protection to American inter
ests. Should the Democrats win, the
| league would be ratified and America
would become at once a party to the
20 odd wars now going on in the
world. European leaders have repeat
edly explained that 1t is impossible
| for the league of nations to function
effectively so long as the United
States has not ratified.
Emphasized Implication.
The obvious implication is that
when the United States ratifies, the
| league will proceed to settle up these
matters: to enforce its authority in
the conflict between Poland and Rus
sia: to settle the Adriatic troubles.
compel peace between Turkey and
Greece, assume responsibility for paci-
| fication of the whole near East and
middle east.
"All this can not be done unless the
league employs force. America would
have to contribute it's army and navy.
President Wilson has urged accept
ance of a mandate for Armenia, which
| the Harbord mission found would re-
quire us to employ great army and
pour out money by hundreds Of mil
lions Congress overwhelmingly re-
I fused, and the country has sustained
it so insistently that even the San
Francisco convention did not dare IN
dorse the mandate. Yet the mandate
would hardly be more than an intima-
ton of the many world-fung conflicts
I into which America would be pro-
iected by ratification of the league
tions.
The president demands a campaign
on this issue; the Democratic plat
form makes the issue paramount. and
finally, the Democratic candidates un-
qualifiedly acquiesce."
Senator Harding, when shown a
copy of Governor Cox's statement is
sued today. in which reference was
made to the senator's plan for a
front porch" campaign, said he saw
nothing in the statement that tusti,
fled any response. He also said II
was useless to enter into wire de
, bate" with the Democratic nominee
Some day l will deliver myself ot
an address in which I will give my
views as to the desirability and In
timacy of a front porch campaign
Senator Harding added.