The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-07-23
CALL HARDING
SPEECH VAGUE
Democrats Declare 6. q. r.
Nominees Acceptance Address
Was "On the Defensive"
by WILLIAM PHILIP siM"s'
International News service

Though Democratic leaders mere
characterize Senator Warren o. iara
ings speech OF acceptance at Marion
Ohio, yesterday as vague In Spots
and ION the defensive" in others they
claim the campaign issue between
Republicans and Democrats Is at last
clearly drawn.
II not, they say, IL VIII be as soon
as Gov. James NJ. Cox. Democrs''o
nominee for the Presidency W"heo
his speech OF acceptance AT paS .on
on August 7. Great pressure II peine
brought TO bear on the governor 10
say precisely what he means ana can
a spade a spade when he makes ms
reply to those who journey 10 ms
home In Ohio TO notify him onlciaHy
of his nomination. Assurances nav"
been received that he figures on aoihs
precisely that thing.
CUMMINGS CRITICIZEs SPEECH.
Homer 8. Cummings, formerly
Chairman OF the National Democratic
Committee. just back from Columbus
criticized the Republican STANDARD
bearers utterances Sharply
The speech OF acceptance delivered
by Senator Harding" he said. is NOT
only "a confession of failure but IL Is
an acknowledgment OF responsipIl'lS
upon the part OF the 'tepublicah SCI
ate for the defeat OF the peace 're"'s
The fiction that President wilson was
responsible for this defeat seems u
have been. abandoned.
1.-The address" he continued, ac-
knowledges our moral obligations 10
our allies and the futility oil inc
world struggle from which we nave
emerged. unless international pea'e
is made secure. Yet the Republican
candidate rejects the only eNlstihE
plan for securing world peace ana
offers nothing tangible in it's place.
80 far as Is possible, from the
vague phraseology of the address 10
deduce any positive conclusion. II
would seem that Senator Harding
favors separate peace with Ger
many. the abandonment of our allles'
the scrapping OF the Peace treaty
and the formation, at some remote
time, OF a different sort of world as
ISOLATION on terms which the candi-
date does not care TO set forth. lie
seems to have reverted to the policy
which Senator Lodge in one OF his
better moments declared would brand
us with everlasting dishonor.
ABANDON HOPE FOR LEAGUE.
Republicans who have cherished
the vain hope that the Republican
party would ultimately take a posi-
ton favorable to the League of Ma
tions must now abandon that hope
The issue grows clearer as the cam
paign progresses"
Republicans here admit Senator
Harding's Marion address tends to
draw the line, making the issue prac-
tically one of league or no league.
the Democrats sustaining the one
thesis. the G.. o. +. the other. Demo-
Gratis generally are inclined to agree
with former Chairman Cummings
remark that the Ohio Senator favors
immediate separate peace with Ger
many and ultimately an association
of nations different from that advo-
Gated by President Wilson and ap-
proved by the Democratic nominee.
Governor Cox.
Governor Cox. Democratic leaders
here claim. will make his position
on the Treaty and League of Nations
perfectly clear when he comes to de-
liver his notification speech two
weeks from today. They say he will
leave nothing to the imagination. II
will all be in his address.