New-York tribune., 1920-10-22
William Howard Taft
Replies
10 Gov. Cox Questions

publican reservations. He has an
nounced in his speech of August 2s
IN his speech at indianapolis and in his
speech at Greencastle, Ind. that he
tavors revised league, in which Az.
ucle and other features which he re-
CARDS as Objectionable shall be elimin-
ated, and in which the provisions shall
center about an international court of
justice.
Mr.. Cox's eighth question is as fol-
lows:
Eighth. Assuming that the
pledge has been given to YOU. then
may we not answer it with your
own words, spoken at a luncheon
gwen by the civic organizations of
ca ifornia. in which you said:
The gentlemen in the Senate who
are setting out to defeat this
Leagues of Nations are those
would not trust overnight ?"
MY. CoX's quotation is garbled one
was referring to the attitude of GER.
TAIN radical Senators who were urgine
constltutional objections to the league
VINO went so far as to maintain that
we could not constitutionally enter into
an agreement to arbitrate question,
with another nation, and it was in ra.
spect to these Senators that said that
IN the past their construction of the
Constitution Of the United States wa:
such that | would not trust the Con.
stltutlon with them overnight.
Mr.. CoX's ninth question is as fol
lows:
Ninth. How do you reconcile YOUR
recent statement that the President
was responsible for the failure to
ratlfy the treaty with your state
ment in your Metropolitan. Opera
House speech on March 5. 1919, as
follows: "If the President insists as
| hope he will, that the league be
incorporated in the peace treaty and
brings it back, responsibility for
postponing peace rests with the body
that refuses to ratify it," and also
with that part of your speech deliv-
cred January, 1920, at the Academy
of Music, Brooklyn, which was II
am inclined to think that persons
who prepared the reservations as a
whole were shooting from the ave-
nue. of the White House."
AS to Mr.. CoX's first quotation, it is
true. 1t was made when I was doine
everything in my power to secure 6
league of nations and when | coulc
not anticipate that the Pres dent woulc
league unless he could keep Article X
in it, or would thus himself postpone
the peace of the world Nor is there
anything in these words of mine that
excused the egregious mistake of the
President in angering the Senate b,
consulting no member Of that body.
Mr. Cox's second quotation from me
in this Question 8 is neither full nol
accurate. SO far as l can remember, il
was comment on the form and tone oil
the reservations rather than on THEN
substance.
do not know that what l have said or
the subject of the League Of Nations
or any part of it in the past is i'm.
portant in this campaign, and l would
not take up space in discussing it hac
not Governor Cox put these questions
am strongly urging Senator Harding's
election do this, first, because
think the only hope for League OF
Nations at all is through the election
Of Senator Harding.
On the other hand, Mr.. Wilson has
stamped upon the Democratic platform
and upon Mr. Cox the indelible pledge
that without Article X there is moth
ing in the league worth prese rving anc
that it should not be put through. The
attitude of the Republican hcld-ovel
Senators on Article X and Mr. Cox's
position and his pledge will certainly
involve stalemate and continued
deadlock and make league m
possible.
Copyright 1920 by Public Ledger Co