The Washington herald., 1920-11-07
PACT BACKERS
'FEARBIGSCRAP
(. ON new LEAGUE
Opposition to Any Republi-
can Covenant Seen at
Home and Abroad.
EUROPE APT TO BALK
Johnson-Borah Men Ready
To Carry Bitter Struggle
To New Congress.
By FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

NJ. r EnDD1hAS " Ah<ASAa@ "AA.@s
President-elect Harding's official
announcement that he proposes sum-
moning the master-mipds Of Ameri-
ca to counsel with him on a new
league of nations scheme. electrifes
political and diplomatic Washing
ton. 1t produces satisfaction in all
quarters except the Johnson-Borah
irreconcilable camp. From that di-
rection prompt and uncompromising
hostility is expected.
The Johnsons and Borahs will
have their day in court, along with
the griends and with the other foes
of a federation of the world Mr..
Harding will-hear all sides In the
conference of best minds" on which
the President elect purposes to lean,
the Tafts. Roots, Hughes. Hooyers,
Wickershams. Strauses and Lowells
will argue the point with the John
sons. Borahs. Reeds. Brandegees and
McCormicks.
There is no disposition in Wash
ington to forecast an easy victory
for an acceptable league covenant
Opposition, 1t is conceded on all
hands. will be both domestic and
foreign.
Oppeaeats Stronger.
The battalion of death. eighteen
strong before this weeks election!
emerges from the avalanche vir-
tually undecimsted. 1t is, indeed.
reinforced. In Snators-lct Watson.
of Gorgia; shortridge, OF California.
and Nicholson, of Colorado. IL has
at least three new recruits. and pos
sibly FIVE il Ladd and Norbeck, the
new Senators from the Dakotas.
turn out to be. as is probable. ir-
reconcilable on a league of nations
issue.
II. out of the remaining seventy
three members Of the Senate. league
friends can mobilize the sixty-four
votes necessary for ratification. they
will have smooth sailing. But such
two-thirds vote would have TO
include virtually the entire Demo-
cratic membership OF the Senate.
Whether smartinE under the
party's terrific beating at TIE polls
on November . on the Wilson league
issue. Democratic Senators would
willingly help toward such a classic
triumph is seriously open to ques-
ton. Washington politicians say.
1t would be magnanimous. some one
remarked today. but ii would also
be unusual.
Such argument. of course, predi-
Gates uncompromising resistance TO
any association of nations by the
irreconsilable group OF l9l9-ls2o.
Much water has flowed under G. o. +.
bridges since the struggle between
the Senate and President Wilson.
Such phenomena as mild irrecon-
cilables" may emerge on Capitol Hill
when il is a Republican Administra-
tons OK that is to be gored.
Opposition Abroad.
But Washington foresees the
leagues more formidable difficulties
abroad rather than at home. As
Col. Houses statements repeatedly
have shown, American prestige in
the great capitals of the world is at
a low ebb. II has sunk. indeed. as
continuous evidence from all quar-
ters shows. almost to the vanish
ing-point. Europe is in little mood
to make concessions to the United
States. At our own insistence. she
has virtually eliminated America
from her reconstruction calcula-
tions. She has been knocking at our
door for a year il bolted and barred
European statesmen are aware that
the door was slammed shut by a Re
publican Congress
Notice was served that neither
American dollars nor American po.
litical participation were availabl,
to help the war-racked nationi
struggle to their feet Those that
are getting back to "normslcy" arc
doing so. they affirm on every posi-.
BILE occasions, without any thanks tc
the altruistic Uncle Sam of wal
days Our refusal of further finan.
cial credits: our renunciation o.
mandates; our unwillingness even tC
participate unofficia1ly in commits
sions of conferences for adjustment
of postwar situations; and, finally
of course, the nations sweeping de
cision. registered on election day
to concentrate ON an "Americt
First" policy have not been things
It is recognized in Washington. de.
signed to I'LL European government.
with concessionary sentiment to.
ward the United States. Japan 8,
an important member of the Ieagu,
and of the League Council. She 1,
not brimming over with anxiety t.
accommodate America.
Europe May Ask Prick.
4 feeling has taken root here tha
the Europe we disappointed will
demand a price for meeting us half
way on covenant revision. Forty
two nations accepted the league a
formulated at Versailles. 1t >ha
been at work. after a fashion.
has not functioned roo per cent. Blu
the league is a formally going con
Germ. with which its principal sup
porters are nominally satisfied.
Are they ready to have IL still fur
ther watered down to suit American
susceptibilities without gettin,
something in return?
! Is President-elect Harding. how
ever sincerely willing he may b
and however loyal his campaign
utterances on that score were. abl
to deliver substantial goods to Eu
rope in return for favors amen
league revision?
Europe can hardly have detected
promise of such things in Americai
events that eliminated on Novembe
t2. Senator MediH Mccormick tol,
me on Senator Hsrding's front porcl
| the day after election that -all o
US" (meaning Senators) had receive,
Categorical assurances of Europeai
readiness to revise the Versatile
lcovenant But he said nothing abou