The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-10-21
OF Constitutional Government.
Harding Urges Rally of
"FriendS OF Peace"
CHALLENGES OPPONENTS
To Show by His Public Utter
ances That His Position on
~ League Has Changed.

/
lican standard this year as the best
means of realizing their aims.
! In the improbable event" OF Gov,
CoX's election, Senator Harding said,
there will be no Qualification OF the
peace tang!e in America.
Even the very latest conner In poll
ties knows very we'll" Senator Hard
ing declared. that It is numerically
Impossible for my opponent to obtain,
whether from his party or mine, enough
votes in the senate TO make good his
program, or even remotely approach
| success
Even within itself the democratic
party ca1ont summon clear approval
of his policy. His election would re-
suit In four-year stalemate."
Challenges Democrats.
| Senator Harding again challenged his
! democratic opponent to show by his
public uttcranccs where he has changed
his position on the league of nations
since he accepted the republican nomi-
nation. e-stating his stand, he de-
clared the nation cannot take seriously
the democratic insistence that the
covenant shall be considered for accep-
| lance as il stands' and added that for
| such n rejection" he had stood unfail-
ingly. He also asserted that he had
favored consistently an international as
ISOLATION in the interest of peace, but
could not under present conditions frame
a definite and specific plan.
Il am not that kind of a candidate"
he continued, ut is easy enough for
candidate who is going to lose to
say almost anything about the league
| OF nations or any future plans for
America.
Attention Not Diverted.
THE democratic forces have para
mounted the solemn referendum of our
foreign relations and we have gladly ac-
cepted, but that does not blind us to
is IN yati
attention from the unhappy failure of
domestic administration. The great and
solemn referendum will not make the
American people forget the tragic mis-
management of their own affairs, be-
cause they have long since passed judg-
ment on our foreign relations.
surely the American people cannot
take seriously the democratic insis-
tence that the Paris covenant shall still
be considered, as platform and candi-
oates, insist, for acceptance as Ii stands.
Such a rejection has been twice re-
corded. l have repeatedly spoken such
rejection from the Cay of accepting my
nomination with unfailing consistency.
But l have never stopped there. |
challenge contradiction. ! invite any
mans parallel OF utterances which are
not in accord. ] have unfailingly said
that we wish to associate with other
nations to end war and promote and
preserve peace. The other nations OF
the world are wiser than our political
opponents. They have accepted the fact
that there is no hope Of uniting Ameri-
cans, or even a very substantial minor
ity. behind the Impossible. proposal that
We should accept the covenant as writ
ten. The foreign nations have set their
faces to the future. So must America,
so much every friend of the new and
better order.
America Means to Go on.
We ma no minstrel rapture swell
Ing for citizenship of the world. n ma
tionality is to be merged into intcrna-
tionality; II barriers OF trade are to be
swept away: If supergovernment is to
decide our fate; IL n world council OF
labor is to make one standard for all
mankind; IL all we have striven for is
to be forgotten in some dream OF uni |
versatility, then 1t does not much matter
what we do about our domestic affairs. |
But | assume that America means TO |
go on, ! would rather have an out |
standing America, splendid example |
to the world. than have America rated |
as one of the five great powers assum- |
ing TO direct mankind by rule of force |
TT is unnecessary to expose the alb |
surdity of the democratic position In |
the league of nations, Surely the |
American people cannot take seriously |
the democratic insistence that the Paris |
conference shall be considered, az plat
form and candidates insist, for accept |
ance as it stands. Such a rejection has
been twice recorded. The constitutional |
spokesman for the people performing |
n sworn duty. have twice rejected that |
and they reject II now. SO
do / as one of them. l have repeatedly |
spoken such rejection from the day of
accepting my nomination TO this very
hour, with unfaillnR consistency. The |
people OF this country never intend to
trade for the doubtful benefits OF the
Paris league their nationality, their
freedom of action, their independence,
their right TO their own conscience,
their Constitution, their honor and their
flag"
Not a Dictator.
IF ! believed in attempting to ex-
press the purpose OF the American
people before being clothed with au-
thority to consult them; If ] desired to
dictate to foreign nations, IL would he
possible for me to suggest new league
and say to the nations Of the earth and
to my native countrymen: Take THIS or
nothing But | am not that kind Of
candidate. No man in my position,
with any conscience whatever, or any
sense OF his responsibilities, could have
the effrontery or the lack Of states
which would allow him to
present a plan which might have TO be
"A rapid flow OF events, or because the
public opinion OF America had not been
sufficiently.
II trust that II win not be improper
for us to consider ns Hypothetical
question whore the country would find
Itself in regard to the league Of nations
even II my opponent were elected. The
very latest conner In politics knows
very wei thrt II IL numerically impos-
sble for my opponent TO obtain,
whether from his party or from mine, |
enough votes in the senate to make
good his program or even remotely APP
proach success In making good his
ConStructIye Program