Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-19
League Violated
fcontinued from, Pase One)

The Senate committee met here
today TO complete its investigation
of the pre-convention campaign in
Missouri and adjourned TO meet
again some time after the election
Before adjourning kilograms were
dispatched TO the chairmen Of the
republican and Rmocratic national.
senatorial and Congressional COM
mittees. directing khem TO file COM
plete statements Of their receipts.
expenditures and pledges at Chica-
go on Thursday, Oct g. The report
will be made public at that time
The report of Mr. Hunts inyesti-
cation of the League to Enforce
Peace proved the sensation of the
day. Dozens of confidential letters
between Mr.. Taft. George W. Wick
ersham. Theodore Marburg and 9TH
ers were given.
In his summary Mr.. Hunt says
that Herbert S. Houston testified
before the committee that he had
talked with the German chancellor.
Lord Robert Cecil and David Lloyd
George in regard to the United States
entering the League of Nations and
that Edward A. FiIene of Boston.
who has been abroad on a similar
mission. is now "in Germany on
mission TO get Germany into the
League"
Other correspondence shows that
ex-President Taft threatened to re-
sign from the presidency Of the
league If it took a partisan part in
politics and reiterated his belief that
Senator Harding will be elected and
that "the one hope of securing the
league with the Lodge reservations
is through the Republican candi-
date"
The correspondence shows that
ex-President Taft has steadfastly
opposed any participation of the
League to Enforce Peace in the
present political campaign. A let
ter from Mr.. Taft TO Mr.. Short on
August 10. 1920 says:
Il am opposed to even a series Of
questions propounded by the League
to Enforce Peace to presidential
candidates. Such questions can not
but take on a partisan attitude"
A carbon copy of an unsigned let
ter, from Mr.. Shorts files addressed
to- Mr.. Taft under date Of August
IL said:
Personally. I find myself much in
clined TO act with the Cox forces and
am under the impression that a good
many of those who. like myself. have
hitherto been Republicans. are likely
to take the same course. Many 9TH
ers will support Harding-Profes-
sor Irving Fishers report furnished
considerable reason to believe that
Harding will yield to pressure as the
canvass goes forward but his vacil-
lation and lack of principle do not
commend him to me-"
On August z. 1920, Mr.. Taft sent
two letters to Mr.. Short, one being a
confidential note which said:
Il am enclosing this with a more
formal statement because l do not
wish to threaten to resign as a
means Of preventing action by the
executive committee which the
members OF that committee may
think it wise to take, but If they
conclude to take any action looking
W epI SoPpctt VI OhC patty IdluCI
than the other in the campaign
wish to resign my position as presi-
dent of the league.
Il feel that Harding is going to
be elected and that the only chance
for the League with the Lodge reser-
vations is through him and his sue
cess"
The more formal letter which
accompanied the private note said in
part:
1.-THE only hope of securing the
League with the Lodge reservations
is through the Republican candidate.
His statement has not been thor
oughly satisfactory to me but I still
think that circumstances will re-
auire him to conform to his vote,
twice recorded in favor of the Lea
que with the Lodge reservations and
he had said nothing in his accept
ance speech which will prevent him
coming to this solution Of the diff
Guilty which will confront him in an
attempt to negotiate peace, a new
association or League such as he
suggests in his acceptance speech"
That the League to enforce peace
solicited 5000 subscriptions from q
number of wealthy men and women
is indicated in a letter from Secre-
tary Short to Mr.. Wickersham un-
der date of July 2, 1919.
A confidential letter from Mr..
Short to President Taft on July 8,
1919 says that Senator Hitchcock,
Democratic leader in the fight for
the League of Nations was present at
a conference with Samuel Gompers.
president of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor when plans were made
to have labor unions lombard sena-
tors with pleas for ratification Of the
treaty and league covenant. The
letter says in part:
You will be interested to know the
result of a conference had in Wash
ington last Wednesday with Gompers
with reference to bringing to bear the
f,Iu power of 0rDa nized Iqhnr Or, tho