The Washington herald., 1920-10-23
Declares Cox's Telegram
Was Neither Formidable
Nor Impressive.
HARDING HELD AS NEED
Republican 5 Election Only
Help to Country, Says
Former President.
BF WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.
Copyright. 1920. by Public Ledger CO..


AlF. CoN's telegram to Mr.. Root is
neither formidable nor impressive.
Mr.. kRoot's statement to which Mr..
Cox takes exception is entirely true
in substance Mr. Cox has never
gone, in anything he has said, be
yOn1 tho letter of the platform OF
the San Francisco convention. IN
WHICH il was said Shat there was no
objection to reservations which
shOald intcrprc- and not nullity the
lea que. and which should clarity and
make. more definite the obligations
of the United States.
Indeed Mr.. Wilson had said SO and
approved some innocuOus reserva-
tions presented by Mr. Hitchcock in
the Senate. Mr.. CON's present state
mcnt goes no further. Mr.. Cox has
not said that he would consent t"
eliminate Article Y. or that he would
consent to such a reservation as the
majority Of the Senate imposed on
Article Y.
On the contrary he has defended
Article Y, and both he and Mr.. VIII
son have made it. by every reason
able Implication from their words,
the sine qua non Of the treaty. II
is Article Y chiefly that made the
question between the Senate and Mr..
wilson. that made the issue upon
which the Democracy based it posi-
tion at San Francisco. and it could
have been only chis in respect to
which Mr.. Cox has said that he was
at one with Mr.. Wilson"
Holds Position UnnItered.
Mr.. CoN's assertion that under the
league as it is. Congress must de-
clare war before the United States
can enter war. and that he IS viii
ing to have a reservation which shall
declare that. Ues not in any way
help to alter the position in which
Mr.. Root correctly puts him.
The point Of the Senate objection
to Article y is not that il takes
away the necessity for Congress
siOGaI action before war can be
brought about. but that it imposes
the moral and legal obligation upon
Congress in certain situations to de-
clare war. and that Congress can
not exercise its unloubted power to
withhold the declaration of war in
such a case without committing a
breach Of the obi igation of the gov
ernmcnt under Article Y. Mr.. Cox
has nowhere said. and cannot say.
or Of the platform. or of his pre-
viOus statements. that he is willing
TO take out OF Article \ the legal
and moral obligation that II con-
taiHs which Congress can ignore.
without committing a breach OF it..
Points Not Affected.
Nothing which Mr.. Cox says about
the Constitution and his willingness
TO have a reservation that shall re-
Quire a Constitutional construction
of the obligations Of the league
affects this point at all.
The statement Of the prO-Leaeue
Republicans. headed by Mr. Root
and Mr. Hoover. and Mr. Roots
speech. have made il very clear to
Republicans, anxious for a league.
that there Is no hone for any league
at all through the election of Mr..
Cox
It only means the continuance Of
the futile deadlock between the ex-
eCutivc and the Senate.
The only hope Of any progress in
th- right direction is through Mr..
iiaTdiuC.s becoming President 1t
is the consciousness Of the wide in
Euencc among pro- Peague Repub-
leans Of these two statements of
Mr Root on the league which
UromDrs Mr.. Cox to send this trucu-
lent but cloudy dispatch to Mr. Root.
which is TO more clarifying, effect
i've or substantial than Mr.. COx's
proposed reservations, and leaves
tho matter exactly where il was