The Washington times., 1920-10-08
THE wAsHlNcToN TIMES oe1osEAs-!sso
Harding Rejects Covenant

Tho Moral Sentiment of the Country Puts an r
Evasion of the Supreme Issue

Issues not made by political candidates con-
ysntions.
They almost always made by the people
Laws do not make reforms but reforms mako laws ss
Governor Coolidge well says.
Conscience moral sentiment or patriotic convictions
move great masses Of people first Finally these noble
impulses reach political convention and adopted "
after the people have already decided them.
It with prohibition. It was 20 with woman
suffrage. It will be with the Wilson Covenant
now political party is needed and is coming in this
country This is proved by the fact that both tho old
parties were too cowardly to express ANY opinion in
ton conventions on the two greatest moral and political
questions Of this generation and suf
fage until the people of majority of the States had al
ready approved and adopted them.
This present campaign has witnessed tho same in
oorigible oowardoe Of groups Of politicians. The Re-
publican convention had the courage demand the
flat rejection of the Wilson Covenant The Democratic
convention had not the courage to demand its ratification
without amendment
But the Republican party was closer to the people
this question The Democratic party close only Mr.
Wilson It could escape the consequence Of his acts
II could not escape from his dictation.
For three months Governor Cox has tried with an
energy and ingenuity worthy of better find some
diversion some substitute for the great ISSUE All his
efforts have failed All the pretended issues have been
The irresistible power of public opinion has clarified
and smplded the one great issue which both political
parties sought to dodge compromise least confuse
Senator Harding cast away all doubt, subterfuge and
camouage when he said in his carefully prepared speech
at Des Moines:
''I do not want to clarity these 1.-THE League cove
nant] obligations; want to turn my back on them
1t is not Interpretation but REJECTION that am
y seeking"
Every event now helps to make the truth clearer
Senator Spencer seeking reelection in Missouri referred
TO promise President Wilson was said to have made At
the Peace Conference to Premier Bratano of Rumania
that 81" the world is again troubled the United States
Fleet"
Mr.. Wilson denied that he had given such promise
Senator Spencer replied that he could not know Of his
knowledge what the President had said in secret
don He had relied Senator Spencer said upon what pur
ported to be stenographc report made by the French
government at hearing granted by the Supreme Council
Wilson Lloyd George and Clemenceau) the Rumanian
and Serbian delegates May 3d. 1919 This stenographic
report contained this record of what Mr. Wilson said
"How could the Government of the United States
60 before the Congress and people of the United
States and pretend that it had assisted in nsuring the
peace of the world if it believed that the settlement
agreed upon here, contained unstable or dangerous
elementsi'
eff the world should be troubled again. if the con-
ditions which we all regard fundamental chal
enged, the guarantees, which will be given to you
- will pledge that the United States will send its army
and fleet the Is surprising under such
conditions that it should desire to reach a solution of.
the various problems which to be satisfactory
i "May not ask my friend Mr.. Kramar my friend
Mr.. Trumbitch and my friend Mr.. Bratiano to believe
L that if have mentioned only the great Powers in
the article [of the treaty. which have just been
discussing it is not because these Powers desire to
impose conditions Of their own, but simply because
they desire to satisfy themselves that they can guar
antee the total of advantages which this treaty
gives you well us, WITH ALL THE STRENGTH
I THEY POSSESS"
The accuracy Of the stenographic notes was later