Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-10-08
RoosEvELrs CHALLENGE TO HARDING.

hVSSesS1S VnHIlINVk ~ UAnUINVs
Franklin d. Roosevelt, in his add
dress at the Armory in Charleston
on the evening of the 3Oth ult. is
sued direct challenge TO Senator
Harding and asked him 10 State
plainly and uncQuirocally his eN-
act position on the League OF
Nations.
Il hate to be insistcnt." he said.
but it is necessary. A few days
aog asked Senator Harding where
he stood on the League of Nations.
did not say a league, or an as
sociation.' but the league.
ale answered in Wheeling. as
rs follows: Il will never favor any
alliance. league or compact that can
impose its will by its vote on the
people of the United States. Will
favor friendly association and con-
ference of the peoples OF the world
81 did not ask him this and il is
not an answer to my question.
agree with him in his stand against
other nations imposing by their
votes their will on our people. ].
too. am in favor of friendly asSoci-
alton of nations. But we get no.
where by having him avoid answer
ing plainly. Therefore, ! ask him
once more the question, and will
make il SO clear that every school.
child can understand. Here il is:
IF. the United States can enter
the existing League of Nations in
such way that the will of the
league cannot be imposed on us
against our will. and if ii is made
clear that our constitutional and
Congressional rights regarding war
are in every way preserved, would
you. Senator Harding, then favor
our going in?"
Frankly, do not believe Scna-
tor Harding will answer that qucs-
ton. To do SO clearly and unequiv-
ocally means the loss Of support
either by the anti-league Senator
Johnson element, or by the pro-
league cN-PrcSidcnt Taft element.
| fear if Mr.. Harding replies at all
he will again avoid a direct answer
but my question is so definite that
] look for digniiicd silence, only"
We cannot resist the impression
that Mr.. Harding has in some way
satisfied Iii Johnson that he is OPP
posed to the League and offers his
opposition as the price of John
sons support. Hiram Johnson is
regarded as the progressive Of all
progressive Republicans. but seeing
that the Progressive party social
ed Bull Moose party. is no longer
functioning, he is holding on with
the reactionary element now in
control of the party hoping in the
end to bring il around to his view
of what should be the policies of
the party. 1t will be recalled here
that he promised before the Re-
publican convention was held not
10 bolt If he failed to get the nomi-
nation: The rank Inconsistency of
Mr.. Johnson is seen in the fact
that, tho claiming to be a,progres-
sIve. he is now supporting one OF
The most pronounced standpatters
and rcactionaries of the Republican
party-a Thing Theodore Roose-
vef would not ido in 1912, boiled
the convention, ran as an indepcnd-
ent and beat the regular nominee
out of his boots-West Virginia Re-
publicans helping him. The incon-
sistcncy of Mr.. Johnson is further
seen in his opposition to the League
with or without reservations, or to
any League at ali, tho the organiza-
tlon OF League of Nations to re-
duce ornaments. to settle inteina-
tional disputes by arbitration and
10 preserve the peace of the world
is the most important and the most
progressive movement pending any
where in the world today.