The Washington herald., 1920-12-14
ROOT and HARDING
STRIVING TOWARD
SAME END ON PACT
Confidence. at Marion
Shows Only Methods
At Variance.
by SAMUEL w. BELL.

BY SAMUEL w. BELL.
MARION. Ohio. Dec. 13.-The be-
lief that an almost insuperable bar
rier stood between President-elect
Harding and Elihu Root because of
the attitude each had assumed on
the league of nations issue was
.dispelled in a measure here today
as the result of a conference be-
tween the two men.
Perhaps 1t cannot be truthfully
said that the President-elect and
Root found themselves in perfect
accord regarding the best method of
American participation in world af-
fairs, but the meeting unquestion-
ably revealed them to each other
as striving toward the same end.
"HighIy Satisfactory,
These are conclusions which can
safely be drawn from the develop
ments attending Roots visit to
Marion and the meagre information
on the exact nature of the confer
ence vouchsaeed by the participants.
Beyond saying that the meeting had
been highly satisfactory" Root de-
clined to comment directly upon his
talk with Harding, while the latter
also held his own counsel. Never
theless Mr.. Roots willingness to
talk freely regarding the world
court of league of nations which
he helped to frame, plainly dis
closed the burden of the conyersa-
tion between the two men. Root
was closeted for almost three hours
with the President-elect in the lat
ter's little office at the Marion
headquarters. Root arrived early
this morning and made a day of it
in Marion, leaving tonight for New
York.
After the conference he EXPRESSED
Willingness to. discuss various
subjects with the newspapermen
and ended up by delivering himself
OF the most comprehensive state
ment OF the purposes and functions
OF the world court that has been
- SSShACu III lIllS country.
interesting also in connection with
hoots Visit was statement made by
COL George Harvey who has been
spending a few days as the Hard
ing's house guest. Col. Harvey said
today that the chief topic of discus-
sion between him and Senator Hard
ing has been "a proposal which
dwarfs all previous propositions de-
signed to perpetuate peace and
democratize the world"
would Hold War PIebi.cite.
In brief it is that the United
States stand sponsor for an associa-
ton of peoples who should pledge
their respective governments for all
time never to engage in offensive
warfare until the question in dispute
mas been submitted to and decided
by the people themselves.
President-elect Harding declined
to comment on the proposal but Col.
Harvey espoused it with vigor even
to Root. .-.-..-.
In discussing the world court pro-
posed under the league of nations,
Root acknowledged that it would be
powerless to settle disputes in which
national policies were involved, be-
cause policies often were not predi-
Gated on rights. He asserted, how
ever, that the most useful way to
prevent people settling their diff
ferences by fighting is to afford
them some other means of settle
ment. -
Discusses International Idea.
Root was led into some discussion
of the possibilities of international
adjudication, pointing out that the
creation of such a court must be re-
garded as a step toward disposing
Of the occasions for international
differences that might develop into
causes Of war. In world in which
there are many dynastic govern
ments. he acknowledged. many wars
are of the sort that may be de-
scribed as incidents of dynastfc
policy. 1t is not at present obvious
how wars Of this sort can be pre-
vented A government being deter
mined to have war at a particular
time and for a particular purpose,
cannot well be prevented from
doing so. But with the increasing
demonstration of the world. gov
ernments are compelled more and
more to consider the attitude OF the
people toward a proposal to go TO
war.
Prominent Republicans next to
visit Marion will be Gov. Sproul. of
Pennsylvania, and W. w. Atterbury,
vice president of the Pennsylvania
Railroad. Gov. Sproul and Gen. At
terbury, 1t was announced, will con-
fer with Senator Harding tomorrow,
No intimation of the subject of the
conference was given. but 1t Is pre-
sumed that the discussion will be
confined largely to domestic ques-
tions. although Gen. Atterbury's
opinions of economic conditions in
Europe may be sought by the Pres
tdent-elect.
Copyright 1880. Public Ledger o.,