Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-20
ROOT FOR LEAGUE;
AGAINST ARTICLE X
Declares Harding Would Favor
Covenant Without ObJec-
tionable Features.

Now York. Oct. 20.-Elihu Root rec
cgniyed spokesman for that element IN
tho Republican party which iavors the
general idea of League of Natlons came
out last night for rejection OF Article \
of tho League covenant IN speech at
Carnegie Hall under the auspices OF the
National Republican Club last night
In his first public uttcrance since his
return from Europe, where he went uh-
der invitation TO assist IN the lo'iinia-
t,on of plans for a World Court, when
is 10 function under the League, Mt hoot
expressed his personal desire Tor an or
ranixation among nations 10 cooperate
10 prevcnt future wars, and said he
believed this was the wish of the majority
of the American people. He asserted that
the issue was not between the entrance
of the United States into the League
and no League, but between ITS entrance
into the League, Just as President Wilson
brought il back from Paris, or its entrance
INTO the League so modified as TO meet
American objections.
MIR. Root asserted that if Senator War
rem G.. Harding, Republican nominee,
were elected President, the United States
would enter such modified League, and
quoted Senator Hardings speeches to
sustain this view of what the Republican
nominee might be expected to do;
Senator Root recalled that Senator Hard
ing had voted for ratification of the peace
treaty with reservations on the League
covenant, and said he would be willing
90 adopt the same course II he became
President
Speaking on Article Y, MIR. Root de-
clarcd that IL was not only no part OF
the main scheme of the League of Nations
aus with ftG and
sprit in that it substitutes physical or
armed force for the moral force which is
relied upon in most of the other provisions
OF the covenant to prevent war
lie asserted that Article y imposed
an obligation upon the United States to
use its armed force, to go to war, It nee
cssarv. 20 defend Article \, IN the case
Of external aggression against any mem
bcf of the League.
Mr.. Root expressed the belief that
this article, although oblgating Congress
to declare war in case of its violation,
unless il wished to reject a treaty, could
not bind future generations of the United
States actually, because, he said, govern
mcnts can no longer place their people
on the battlefields unless they believe IN
the purpose of war. He declared that
Article Y WAS a weak part of the League
Stfuttuft anu w tt'iAistst.t''A-
Governor Cox by his promise to follow
President Wilson's policy was obligated
20 retain Article Y, he said, and Senator
Harding WAS obligated to reject It.
He declared that the purpose of Article
y was to guarantee he territorial settle
ments of the Peace Treaty or the Judg-
ment of the four men who parceled out
large pieces of territory in Eastern Europe,
/ do not question Mr.. Wilson's belief
that the dispositions of the treaty were
Just and fair" Senator Root said, but
I do question his infalhbility.
Article y is an attempt to carry
bver and continue for al time, as part
Of the organization 70 preserve peace,
the exercise of power by the conquering
nations In closing the war. IL is an ALI
anoe 20 enforce perpetually through the
operations of the League the decisions
of MIR. Wilson and his associates IN the
year 1915"
MIR. Root declared that the Treaty of
Peace with Germany would have been
signed and the United States would now
have been member Of the League Of
Nations Il President Wilson hai been
willing. He was not willing he con-
tmued, "he insisted upon the treaty un-
changed.