, 1920-09-02
HARDING GLAD
AMERICANS ARE
!. A FREE PEOPLE
In Speech to Indiana Delegation
Sepublican Nominee Declares
for Security at Home.


Warren G~Harding, Republican nomi.
nee for President. in Il speech deliv-
Tered to a delegation from Indiana
(which called on him here to pledge the
support of Indiana Republicans, de-
cleared that twice President Wilson had
IAN opportunity to obtain ratification
lof the League of Nations covenant
land that lie put ratification aside be-
'cause he would not accept reserva-
lfions designed solely to safeguard
American rights. Senator Harding
.said:
Il greet you in Il spirit of rejoicing !;
mot n rejoicing in the narrow personal
Nor partisan sense, not in the gratifying
prospects of party triumph not in the
contemplation of abundance in the
harvest fields and ripenlng corn fields
land maturing orchards not in the re-
assuring approach of stability after u
period of WEIGHING and webbing which
,magnified IL observation-disclosures all
of these arr ample for our wide rejOic-
Iing-but l rejoice that America is still
free and independent and in Il position
iof self-reliance and holds to the right
1of seIf-determinatiOn, which are price
Hess possessions in the present turbu-
ilence of the world.
Let us suppose the senate had rati-
fled The peace treaty containing the
1league covenant as submitted to it by
1.-THE president in July of last year.
What woui be the situation confront
ing our common country today? To my
mind tlnrn iS httt nnn nnGNt-pp Rnfnrn
this day we would have been called
upon to fulfill the obligations which
I'VE had assumed under Article 10 of
-the league covenant. to preserve the
territorial integrity of Poland as
against external aggression.
Il shall not now attempt to measure
the boundless sympathy for the just as
-pirations and restored independence of
Poland. Our present concern is the
international situation which Poland
has brought to our attention.
The council of the League of Ma
tons would have reasoned, and rea-
sOned correctly that the United
States could furnish the munitions,
and. If necessary, the men 10 with
stand the hordes advancing from Rus
STA far more easily than could the
exhausted nations of Europe. More
over. inasmuch as this would be the
first test of the scheme of world gov
which was formulated and der
manded by the President. speaking for
the United States. the fact of II special
responsibility, resting upon our shout
ders. manifestly would have been un-
.InnfnhIn ITnInnItallN rho lan uII..
council. in advising upon the means
by which the obligations to Poland
should be fulfilled. as provided in the
covenant, would have so held, and
probably the conscience of America,
certainly the opinion of the world,
would have sustained that judgment.
.'rhc conclusion that our country
might now he confronted by such a
situation. If the senate had ratified
the league covenant, requires no
stretch Of the Imagination. None can
deny that ii is possible. To many can
did minds. Ms tn my own. such II dis
tressing situation will seem highly
probable. Let us assume that the rati-
~f1cation had taken place. Let us as
sumo. further, that the performance
of the allotted task required the waging
of war upon the Russian people, as of
eourse. If would. whnt would result
what would of necessity have To re-
sult? Nothin- necessarily. we are glad
Nv informed. since only The congress
can declare war. and the congress
nigh re- Iect the appeal of the execu-
tive. But would the congress do that?
Could the congress do that without
staining indeIibIy the honor of the ma
ton?
II answer. no. and | shy il mot on
my own authority alone. Back Of my
Judgment stands the President OF the