New-York tribune., 1920-12-15
Harding Likes
Vote of People
Peace Program,
OTIS Big Declares Senator
in Discussing Harvey's
Idea; Says Others Also
Consider 1t Practicable
Confident of Solution
Easier to Reach a Common
Ground Than Most People
Think, Is His Prediction
From q star corresnonren.

MARION, Ohio, Dec. 14.-The i'm
preston is growing about Harding /
headquarters that the scheme for pre-
venting wars through referendurls
which was outlined yesterday by Colo
mel George Harvey is favored by the |
President elect himself. In talk with
newspaper men to-day Mr. Harding
spoke Of his interest in the plan.
"It's big praised the President
elect when asked for comment, and
then, fter pause, he added: This is
not the idea Of Harvey alone. Harvey
was the instrumentality for giving the
vlan publicity" Beyond that Senator
Harding would not comment on this
newest suggestion for an association
Of nations to preserve peace. But,
speaking generally Of the conferences
he is now engaged in holding, Senator
Harding said:
Il have been convinced already that
it is going to be much simpler than
most people believed possible to reach
common ground on this subject. How
ever, think it would be unwise for me
! to discuss these confe rences in detail
until they are about concluded"
A certain similarity in the Harvey
scheme and that of William Jennings
Bryan, which found expression in war
prevention treaties negotiated during
| BryAn's administration of the State De
partment under President Wilson, IS
espec ally interesting Just now because
Mr. Bryan is scheduled to come here
Friday for talk with the President
elect There WAS a report about Har-
ding headquarters to-day that Colonel
Harvey since his arrival in Marion last
Friday had received an imposing look
ing bundle of correspondence from ths
Nebraska Democratic leader.
Senator Hardings confidence tat :
workable scheme for international co
j., operation upon which America car
unite will be developed the presen
, series of talks here has served to in
] tensify interest in his plan for per
suading the members Of the League 0
i Nations to accept the scheme when /
= has been developed. In that connec
l tion the President elects attention wa
called to the presence at Geneva o
Senator Med;ll Mccormick, of Illinois
= Senator Harding was asked if Mr.. Nc
= Cormick was representing him abroad
The President elect took a deep breat
and then said
"You may say for me that ! have n
agents in America, IN Europe, IN 81
= IBERIA, in Africa or any other part o
@ Ahe world"
n Senator Harding has made simila
I denials before in connection with tn
- activities of Washington B. Vanderli
d in Russia and with those of other indl
V viduals in Mexico. Recently he ex
e pressed amazement that so many indl
viduals had attempted to represen
a themselves as his agents, and h
$ added that he was equally amazed tha
g people were sufficiently creduious :
v accept these self-accredited agent
without other proof than their bar
statements.
@ None of this feeling, of course, eS
{ tends to Senator Mccormick, who hn
made no effort to create an impresso
!. that he is Senator Harding's repre-
j., sentative. The Illinois Senator, how
h ever, probably comes more nearly be
/. ing a representative or the President
c elect than any other person now tray
cling abroad