The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-07-26
mot WORRIED BY
HARDING SPEECH
Democrats In Washington See
Little Danger From G. 0. P.
Pronouncement.
laX IoLIM %. ERWlN.l


Dental nomination. appear TO be well
satisfied with II. They claim to have
discovered nothing progressive In its
context and little that could be called
illuminating In the nominees discussion
OF current issues.
"a typical Harding speech" was q
common criticism.
Senator Harding also was attacked
for "straddling" and criticised for Offer
ing generalities In substitute for spe-
cihc program. Other critics were In
clined to consider the address a good
republican document Of the vintage
| Of 1896.
Interest centered principally in what
| Harding had to say about the league
| OF nations Some Of the democrats who
put his utterances under the micro
scope were inclined to think he had
| rejected the Versailles treaty entirely,
adopted the Knox plan for peace by
resolution and cast aside the league for
a society Of nations" In which the
United States shall figure as friend
but not working member.
Like other portions Of his address,
references to the league were con-
demned in administration circles as in
conclusive and subject to double inter-
republican nominee failed to say I'M
league, against II or for II with the
Lodge reservations, for which he voted
as n member of the senate. This lack
of defniteness was interpreted In dem
cate all d. o. P. factions. including
the Taft Hoover Hughes group. who
| favor the league. and the Borah- john
SON contingent. who declare 1t an
"sorapplnu"s Of Treaty.
/ uar.A~ q (s,s,,arotnna rattrinR chair
| man Of the democratic national com
| mittee, who will shortly enter the
senatorial race In Connecticut as an
| opponent OF Senator Brandegee, repub-
lican. found in the Harding speech an
apparent "acrapping" Of the peace
"The speech OF acceptance delivered
| by Senator Harding 10 not only a con-
| fession of failure, but II is an acknowl-
| edgment of responsibility upon the
part Of the republican senate for the
defeat Of the peace treaty. The nc
ton that President Wilson was re-
sponsible for this defeat seems to have
been abandoned.
"The ad ress acknowledges our
moral obligations TO our allies and the
| futility OF the world struggle from
| which we have emerged unless inter-
national peace IL made secure. ana yet
/ the republican candidate rejects the
| only existing plan for securing world
peace and offers nothing tangible In
$50 far as II is possible from the
vague phraseology Of the address to
deduce any positive conclusion, 1t
would seem that Senator Harding ia
vors separate peace with Germany,
| the abandonment OF our allies the
scrapping Of the peace treaty and the
| formation, at some remote time, Of a
| different sort of world association on
| terms which the candidate does not
care to set forth. He seems to have
reverted to the policy which Senator
declared would brand US with ever
lasting dishonor.'
"Repubiioans who have cherished the
vain hope that the republican party
would ultimately take a position ia
vorable to. the league. Of nations must
| grows clearer as the campaign pro-
| crosses"
Another administration spokesman
characterized the speech as full OF
platitudes and clumsy verbal balancc-
| patter OF the inner circle and perhaps
beguile the progressive who remains
In doubt at distance"
| Considering that all civilized nations
except the United States, Turkey ,,s.s
bers OF the league OF nations. critics OF
the republican candidates were unable
to oonjure UP the new society OF
| nations" no stressed In his speech,
unless II would be an association Of
| these four.
In Harding's protested fear of "im-
paired nationality" and surrender OF
| rights to a world council of it's mill
cary alliance" were the United States
! to enter the league, democrats see only
a continuance OF the senate debates
| nA ~ w
which the country has heard for the
| past year. A clear-cut issue is created
| In Harding's opposition to manufactures,
although President Wilson'S reommen-
| dalton for an Armenian mandate was
not Incorporated in the democratic
Harding's attacks on 'one.man gov
| eminent" have also been heard before,
democrats say. They point to similar
| criticism OF Washington, Lincoln and
Roosevelt. and declare the cry auto
intellector, forceful personality occu-
| pies the White House.
| One Of the things that pleased ad-
| ministration officials was Harding's
reference to radicalism. His attitude
been lifted bodily from speeches and
statements OF Attorney General Palm
| or. they declared. thus putting Hard
ing In the position of approving the
campaign OF a democratic attorney
Another Paradox.
Analysing the republican nominees
statement on the railroads, II was
| noted that while blaming much Of
the present-day insufiiciency and In
Efficiency TO the whitening hand of
| government operation" he voices the
the best paid and know the best
working conditions In the world" How
this can be accomplished except by a
measure Of close control by the gov
eminent is one OF the Harding para
doxes. as seen by democratic critics.
No fault is found with Harding's
statements on prohibition and woman
suffrage. These are complimented as
clean-cut and positive, though Con-
sentative. They are among the few
corded ready approval.
Harding's references 10 restoring
liberty bonds to par, debating the cur
rcncy, reducing the cost OF living and
tax revision were criticised rs gener-
alizations. There lie nothing in his
In mind 20 bring about return to
| normal conditions, The same criticism
| is directed at his statement on prof.
teering, In which saving and economy
by the Individual are suggested as the
surest means OF cutting prices. II was
noted that no additional legislation was
recommended to reasn profiteers.
| Recalling the columns OF printed
matter and foods Of oratory devoted
| to the tariff in years gone by. .amuse-
ment was found In the nominees ref
| erence TO this subject, consisting OF
| exactly eighteen words:
II believe in the protective tarin
/ policy, and know we viii be calling
| for It's saving Americanism again."
In this connection democratic orators
are getting ready 70 call attention dur
| ing the campaign to the fact that sew
| eral portectiVe tariff measures urged