New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-15
Roosevelt Says 8
Harding Befogs
League Issue
Resents Dragging Name
of Wilson Into Discussion
of How Treaty Has Be
come Dominant Plank
Exto1s Presidents Role
Asserts Republicans Do Not.
Know What They VIII Do
About Ratifying Pact

HYDE PARK. N. Y, July 14.--Frank-
lin D. Roosevelt, replying at his home
here to-day to the charge Of Senator
Harding that President Wilson had
forced the Democratic Presidential and
Vice Presidential nominees to accept
his view 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 hack to the conditions Of 1914
or whether they will join with oiviiiza-
ton and humanity in this great step
forward"
,"The attempt by Senator Harding
yesterday, he said, Ito befog the true
League Of Nations issue by dragging in
the name Of President Wilson is merely
further evidence Of the historical fact
that a certain type Of Senatorial mind
cares more about squaring an ancient
grudge against an individual than it
does to consider the true welfare of
the nation. It is, Of course, we'll known
that seven-eighths of the opposition of
these Senators is not to the League Of
Nations, but to the person of the
Presidentsof the United States himself.
Says Republicans Are Split
"History will take care Of the great
part Woodrow Wilson has played. But
the Democratic party enters the cam
paign with the clear-cut purpose of
proving that the World War has not
been fought in vain. Senator Harding
says, Should the Democrats win, the
treaty and the league will be ratified
He is right. No one. probably not even
Senator Harding himself, knows what
would happen should the Republicans
win
zone branch Of his supporters, such
as Senator Hiram Johnson, assures the
nation that Republican victory means
no League of Nations. Another branch,
led by such men as. former President
Taft, assures the nation that Repub-
lican victory means the acceptance OF
the league with certain underlined res
ervations. -.
Says Perils Are Vague
"The rest of Senator Harding's state
ment is the usual vague summonlng
forth of bogies and imaginary ghosts
of horrible pictures of American soldier
boys waging war in Poland, Russia and
Turkey and at the end he talks in gilt
tering terms about the charge of a sur
render of the republic
~ yield nothing in my devotion to
the United States to Senator Harding,
to Senator Penrose, to Senator john
son, or to any Of their followers. Rather
believe they are the ones who fail to
visualize the great future and the IN
dependent future Of this nation.
zone of the prominent issues is thus
becoming early and clearly drawn. A
Democratic victory means ratification
of the treaty and the League of Nations,
which, as the world knows, is already
constituted. A Republican victory
means that the United States, with
Russia, Mexico and Turkey, shall re-
main outside. The election of Hard
ing means that in case of future war
the United States will enter the war
ton Of Cox means that the United
States, in particular with the other
civilized nations of the world, will,
through the League of Nations, solve
international difficulties and prevent
a recurrence of the holocaust Of 1914
1913"
viii Attend Yacht Races
Mr.. Roosevelt conferred with Pough-
keepsie Democratic leaders this after
noon concerning tentative plans for
the notification ceremonies at his home
here the first week in August. Late
this afternoon he motored to New
York, where he will spend the night
with his mother. Tomorrow Mr.. Roose-
Welt will attend the international yacht
races and then leave for Washington,
where he will confer with President
Wilson and Governor Cox on Sunday.
Early next week the e-Presidential
nominee will go to Dayton to confer
with party leaders on plans for the
notification of Governor Cox and him