Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-12
COX PRESENTS nine
QUESTIONS TO TAFT
Governor Asks Former Presi-
dent to Explain His Position
on League Issue
AGAIN TALKS IN ILLINOIS

Peoria, ILL.,, Oct. 12.---Governor Cox
today returned to Illinois, following one
OF the most enthusiastic meetings Of his
carry on his fight for the League of
Nations and other party policies. The
Democratic presidential candidate also
was to speak later today in Indiana,
his fourth trip to the Hoosicr state.
The governors itinerary called for
his departure from Peoria at noon and
for a number Of rear platform speeches
this afternoon en- route to Lafayette,
Ind, where he was to speak tonight.
In his st. Louis address Governor
Cox propounded nine specific questions
to former President Taft bearing upon
the latter's support Of Senator Harding,
Republican presidential nominee.
The Democratic presidential candi-
date asked whether Senator Hard
ing and the former President were not
Joined together ''in deliberate decep.
TEX President Taft" Governor Cox
said, "in n recent statement discusses
the proposal of adopting the League Of
Nations by leaving Article X out OF It.
and responds to the suggestion with
these words:
That Is exactly that we want.
He Asks Taft Nine Questions
should like to ask Judge Taft these
questions
"Firat. Did you not in nm article
70 htc Covenantor, under the title The
Principle We Fought For, discuss
Article X in these words: The law
of the league with the sanction of the
power of the league, thus forbids the
violation of the international com
mandmcnt "thou shalt not steal by
force" It is the embodiment OF the
principle that we entered and fought
this war to maintain
"Second. Did you not also in the same
article say The Monroe Doctrine. as
originally declared by Monroe. was Ar
ticle X limited to the aggression Of non.
American nations against countries of
the western hemisphere
""rhird. Did you not in the. same
article also use these words. Article
Y is one of the great steps forward pro-
vided in the league for the securing OF
general peace.
Fourth. You say that the League
to Enforce Peace. Of which you were
chairman. had no Article Y in its
proposition. Shouldn't sou have been
more frank with the American people by
telling them that your plan only had
four articles in It and that your substi-
tutc for Article Y was Article III? Can
you deny that in your Article III you
provided for the Joint use Of the military
forces of the signatorv powers in event
of violation Of the conditions Of the
covenant?
Fifth. Did not your proposal carry
definite legal obligation TO employ
forces and in this respect was It not
very much more drastic than Article
Y of the league?
Sixth. You say that Senator
Harding has already voted twice for
the league with reservations, but you
failed to say that your candidate,
within the last two weeks. very def
nitely announced that II he had 1t to
do over agoin he would not vote for
vations. -..
Harding's Promises
Seventh. You say that Senator
Harding promises that as President he
will indorse the covenant without Ar
ticlc X. TO whom has he given the
promise? Certainly not to Senator'S
johnson and Borah. Every one knows
that he has not given it to the Ameri-
can people. Has he given 1t to you?
II so, is 1t not so much in conflict with
Senator Harding's recent statement
that he proposes from now on to turn
his back on the league--with or with
out reservations--that It joins both
you and him together in deliberate de-
ception?
Eighth. Assuming that the pledge
has been given to you, then may we
not answer IL with your own words
spoken at luncheon given by the
civic organization of California, in
which YOU snid:
The gentlemen in the Senate who
are setting out to defeat this League
of Nations are those would not trust
overnight.
''Ninth. How do you reconcile your
recent statement that the President was
responsible for the failure to ratify the
treaty with your statement in your
Metropolitan Opera House speech
March 5, 1910, as follows:
" If the President insists, as hope