Omaha daily bee., 1920-07-14
Senator Charges, President
Forced Democratic Party
Nominees to Adopt His Views
On League of Nations.
SAYS G. 0. P. CANDIDATES
WILL ACCEPT CHALLENGE
Declares Only Concern Of the
Chief Executive Is to See
Complete VindiCation of
His F Foreign Policy.

Bv The Asso lated Press.
Marion, o. July l3.-Senatol
Harding charged, in statement to-
night, that President Wilson had
forced the democratic presidential
and vice presidential nominees to ac-
cept his view that the league of ma
tons should become the dominant
campaign issue. The presidents one
concern, the senator said, is the
"vindicat;cn of his foreign policy"
and he insists upon "his issue regard
less of costs or consequences.
The republican party and candi-
dates gladly accept the challenge
the statement said. 1--WE are more
than willing to make the election
national referendum on the question
whether we have four years more Of
the democratic readiness to sur
render this republic
The statement resulted from the
nouncement of Franklin d. Roose
welt, the vice presidential candidate
following his conference yesterday
with Governor Cox that his cam
paign would be made chiefly on the
league issue.
League Big Issue.
The statement follows:
Columbus dispatches describing
the conference between the demo.
cratic nominee for president and
vice president on Monday, say that
Governor Cox left it to the vice
presidential nominee to make known
the conclusions reached And, thus
authorized to speak for both of them.
the vice presidential nominee stated
that he considered the league Of ma
tons one OF the dominant issues OF
the campaign, not only i'll tic east,
but i'll the west. He expected to make
his campaign chiefly on the league
of nations issue
so we have the complete proof
that President Wilson has won and
forced acceptance OF his paramount
issue. The party machinery has
been taken over by the Tsmmanies
of New York, New Jersey and Indi-
ana, but President Wilson has forced
his issue on them. He has bue one
concern and that is the vindivation
of his foreign policy first by his par
ty, later by the country.
Will Harness Policy.
The democratic campaign is go
ing to harness the party absolutely
: to the administration policy of rati-
fcation without protection to Amer
ican interests. Should the demo-
Gratis win, the league would be rati-
fed and America would become at
: once party to the 20 odd wars now
going on in the world. European
leaders have repeatedly explained
that it is impossible for the league
OF nations to function effectively SO
long as the United States has nor
r ratified. The obvious implication
is that when the United States rati-
fies the league will proceed to settle
up these matters, to enforce its au-
: thority in the conflict between Po-
; land and Russia; to settle the Adriat-
! ic troubles. compel peace between
Turkey and Greece, and assume re-
sponsibility for pacification of the
whole near east and middle east.
"All this cannot be done unless
: the league employs force. America
i would have to contribute its army
= and navy. President Wilson has
urged acceptance of mandate for
Armenia, which the Harbored mis-
), sion found would require US to em-
! ploy a great army and pour out
u money by hundreds of millions. Con-
! gress overwhelmingly refused and
!, the country has sustained it SO insis-
! ;cntly that even the San Francisco
: convention did not dare indorse the
:, mandate. Yet that mandate would
- - hal dly be more than an intimation
= :. of the many world-flung conflicts in.
to which America would be pro-
iccted by ratification of the league
without rigidly safeguarding rcser-
vations.
\ Real Opinion Flouted.
The president demands CAM
paign on this issue; the democratic
> platform makes the issue para
! mount; and finally. the democratic
, candidates unqualfiedly acquiesces.
I The score and more OF democratic
S senators who voted for the Lodge
: reservations are repudiated, the real
t, opinion of the American nation is
o flouted, because the president in
n sists upon his regime regardless OF
costs or consequences. The repub-
i lican party and candidates gladly ac-
= ccpt the challenge. We are more
S than willing to make the election a
S national referendum on the question
|. whether we shall have four year.
c more of democratic readiness to
surrender this republic"
In order that he might have an
opportunity to work on his speech
accepting the republican presidential
n nomination, Senator Harding re.
y ceved no callers today.
IS He did confer briefly however
1t with Congressman Longworth oi
l. Cincinnati Mr.. Longworth later
II, announced that he had discussed the
,r political situation with the senator
ID with whom, he said, he was in abb
4 so!utc agreement on the issues in,
re viived The senator made rapid
et progress on his speech and he plans
c. to devote most OF tomorrow to it Z:
1..l IL