Bisbee daily review., 1920-12-31

were discussed by the preSident-efe and Mrs. Harding during the day with Hays. Daugherty. Senator Knox and officials of the Washington inaugural committee. F.. B. Mclean chairman of the committee. and Jess w Smith its secretary. laid before Harding many suggestions for the ceremony. which it was said would provide for an old time inaugural celebration on a scale never exceeded in the nations history.
 Senator Knox is chairman or lie congressional committee. pari pat ing in arrangements for the inaGgiira- tion. and il was partially to discuss that subject that he came 10 Marion. He also was one of those Iong ago selected by Senator Harding as a con fierce on the association of nations plan and the confidence reposed in his judgment by the president-elect has led to frequent mention Of his name as a possible head of the state department.
 Other circumstances surrounding the visit, however, clothed it with peculiar significance. Rumblines or apprehensions have been heard more than once in the camp Of the senate irreconcilables. as Tart -,oover and other friends of the Versailles league succeeded one another at the presi- ! dent-elect's council table or publicly | expressed conscience that the Yer sailles covenant would be the founda- { tion of new peace plan. | Knox Is Satisfied | Fresh from conferences with his colleagues Knox k understood to | H.ar a graphic fashion. the possibilities of new factional fight should the new administration ask the senate to ac- sept any sort of membership the league.
 Personally" said the Pennsylya-
 nia senator after his talk with Hard-
 ing. "I never credited reports that he would use the league machinery as a
 basis for 1he proposed association. { could not imagine how he could mis-
 construe the mandate of the Ameri-
 can people or back-track on speeches
 delivered during the campaign.
 After talking with him I am more 1 than ever confident that he will do
 no such thing. I am assnred>that he 1 has no set idea in mind and am con ', vinced that he is going 10 work cut
 something that will be entirely satis- ! factory not only to the senate but io ! the country"
 In memorandum submitted to
 Senator Harding. Senator Knox sug- ! gested that declaration of policy
 by the leading nations. pledging them
 to consult and cooperate if civiliza- ton and peace were threatened in
 the future would be sufficient basis
 for the new peace society
 He proposed that such a declara- i tion be appended to the Knox peace
 resolution. which he plans 10 re-intro-
 duee at the extra session of congress
 after March A
 The purposes Of this resolution
 were set forth at length in the mem orandum which said the measure would terminate the technical state | of war, request the president to ne ! gotiate treaty of amity and com merce with Germany. repeal war leg ! islaticn and hold Germany to the pro mises she made in the Versailles treaty and the armistice agreeme mt z l The section proposed as an amend
 ment would declare that when the peace of Europe again was threaten ed. the United States would regard I such . situation as menace to it's 1 own peace and freedom" and would
 consult with the powers with a view ! of cooperation in the defense of civ 1 ilization
 Great Moral Force" |
 "The passage of this resolution as | 1t is proposed to be amended" 1a memorandum contended. "wOull rro-
 vide simple and customary m,thcd ! of adjusting our relations wi h Ger many. The declaration of a policy i such as indicated followed hv a sim i liar declaration by other nations. would constitute an association of nations. bound together by a common i purpose. that neither parchment. seal. 1 ing wax, sisnatures nor blue ribbons could make more obligatory CT ef-
 fective.
 Such declaration of policy would
 not interfere with the qualification of
 international law. the creation of a
 court to decide international differ ences of a justiciable character nor
 the appointment of commissions Ca ] investigate critical questions that
 threaten war On the other hand it
 would stand in the background as a
 great moral force. whose tendency
 should be to encourage nations tO
 agree
 "If this had been the avowed and ! understood policy Of the United
 States before July. 1914. it is in my ! judsment very improbable that the ] war would have occurred %