The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-10-15
COOLIDGE THINKS
HARD|NG'S AIM IS
LEAGUE REVISION
Opinions of G. O. P. Vice
Presidential Nominee In
cline Toward Root Posi-
ton, Says David Lawrence.

tion, Says David Lawrence.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Correspondent Of The News
Seimitar.)
BOSTON, Mass. Oct. i5.-Gov.
Calvin Coolidge, Republican candl-
date for the presidency, Is ABOUT
as clear-headed and dispassionate
person as can be found by the po-
litical wayfarer who wants TO GET AT
the currents Of thought in Massa-
chusetts and not the tides OF par
tisanship.
Perhaps it's the atmosphere Gre
ated by men like President Lowell
or the influence possibly OF Root
Hughes, Taft, Hoover. Wickersham,
but the state house in Boston doesn't
exude "bitter enders" or irreconcil-
able spirit on the league of nations.
Gov. Coolidge insists with emphasis
that he is in complete agreement
with the Republican platform and
Senator Harding's speeches.
The governor himself with natural
modesty doesn't attempt to argue is-
sues that are more properly within
the jurisdiction of the head OF the
ticket-Senator Harding-but such
public speeches rather incline toward
the EIihu Root notion of what the
Republican national platform means
than the Borah or Johnson view.
Telegram From Harding,
Mr.. Coolidge called my attention to
n telegram from Senator Harding, |
published in the last two days, in |
which the latter says the speech at |
pes Moines was not out OF harmony
with the one delivered at Marion on |
Aug. 2S. II Is from the latter ad-
dress that Gov. Coolidge always |
nuotes and he picked up copy OF II |
while he talked and pointed to n
paragraph In which. after discussing |
The present league of nations and
The Hague tribunal, Senator Harding
said:
Il would go even further. ! would
take and combine all that is good
hnd excise all that is bad from ooth
ORGANIZATIONS. This statement Is
broad enough TO include the sugges-
tion that IL the league has been so
entwined and interviewer into the
peace treaty of Europe that its good
must be preserved in order to sta
Hilize the peace of the continent, then
can be amended or revised so that
,e may still have a remnant OF world
aspirations of 1918 builded into the
worlds highest conception of help
ful cooperation
Put Faith in Revision,
That's the policy which Senator
Harding Is expected here to fulfill II
he Is elected TO the presidency.
Plainly, the people who with Gov.
Coolidge favor league of nations or
association of nations are pinning
their faith on the revision of the
treaty of Versailles to conform to Re-
publican doctrines. Some folks here
accept the Johnson Interpretation or
the Republican platform. but the pre-
dominant Republican feeling Is for
some kind of a league, even though
* has to he built on the foundations
of the present structure.
Senator Hale of Maine, in the re- |
cent campaign in that state, made II |
clear that he didn't believe Repub-
lican victory meant reputation of |
the idea or principle Of n league of
nations. And anyone who talks with
Gov. Coolidge or reads his speeches
recognizes in them an emphasis on
the affirmative rather than the mega
tive side of the league controversy.
For instance. he said recently:
"A world relationship exists. II Is.
IL did not come into being as the
result of any proposed treaty and II
win not be changed by any great and
solemn referendum
The foregoing is a significant warn
ing that Republican victory in the
nation should not be interpreted as
a rejection OF the idea of PARTISAN
ship or association with Europe in
an effort TO preserve world peace.
Rather, IL carries the suggestion that
the interests of the United States and |
the rest of the world have been al
most irrevocably drawn together.
Course of Craftsmanship.
THE course of true statesman
ship" continues the governor. lis to
seek out, to discover what world re-
lationship is, and put the action of |
the nations in harmony with 1t. This |
Senator Harding is proposing to do.
That relationship is not founded |
upon major force. Prussia made
that mistake. It is founded upon |
compelling reason. Its herald Is not
a clanking saber but the still small |
voice. To the establishment of that
relationship through the recognition |
OF reciprocal rights and duties, the
Republican party. by it's history, by |
! It's policy by its candidate stands
toledged. This Is the way with ma /
I snal honor, with independence, TO
y nEorld peace, In that direction,
Sc tor Harding leads"
u, Animation OF other utterances by |
Cow Coolidge shows that he is by |
no means bitter ender" or a mem
Der of the Borah Johnson faction, but |
wants some league of nations. He |
argues against the mourning Of obli-
cations that America would not wish |
10 fulfill. He believes international |
morality is not aided by the accept
Rnce of obligations in a treaty that |
is not intended TO be enforced.
Attacks on Reservations.
Reservations such as Senator Lodge
framed in the senate would probably |
please Gov. Coolidge. In some OF his |
speeches he goes back to the Lodge
reservations and analyses them. This |
can not be merely affection for the |
work of n fellow Republican from |
Massachusetts. but is unquestlonably |
based on a fundamental belief In |
world cooperation as essential and |
inevitable in the present day and age. |
Gov. Coolidge is not a spectacular
individual, but he talks common |
sense. Even in private conversation |
he doesn't talk like candidate or
politician. He doesn't breathe the
bitterness of craftsmanship which the
writer has encountered so often In |
Washington and elsewhere in the last
two years. II he is elected vice-pres-
ident he will give such advice as is