Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-27
HARDING RESENTS
INFERENCE WOULD
ELIMINATE TREATY
Favors Revision of League
Covenant Based on
Present Pact.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Harding would. if elected President.
favor the revision of the treaty of
Versailles So that reservations to the
league of nations desired not only by
the United States but - other ma
tions might be agreed upon. Indeed.
he thinks the covenant ought to be
revised
In explaining his views to the
writer. the republican candidate re-
sented the inference that he would
eliminate the entire treaty of YER
sallles, including the covenant. from
consideration. He declared that, of
couESe, the original structure would
be used as a basis for remodeling and
revision. He was inclined to believe
the nations of Europe would be as
glad to be rid of article y as would
the United States under a republican
administration. But, fundamentally,
Mr.. Harding means to approach the
other nations of the world and
serves the independence and SOW
ereignty of the United States. and at
the same time asks for no privilege
that America, on her part, is not
willing to grant to other nations.
Has No Definite Program.
This may lead, possibly, to negotia-
tions between the United States and
the allies and Germany. with the de-
layed ratification of the treaty of Yer
sailles Offering the opportunity for re-
vision of the document itself, for
which so many factions among the
signatory nations have been clamor-
ing.
OF course, Mr. Harding does not in
tend to tie himself up to definite
program, either now or if he is elect
ed. The world situation is changing
50 rapidly that he believes it both
unnecessary and superfluous to chart
a course that may be entirely al
tered by the time new President Of
the United States is inaugurated.
For the present Senator Harding is
concerned with the division in the
ranks. OF republicanism which grew
the bitter enders." like Senators
JQhnson. and Borah. and the mild
reServationiStSn and the Lodge res
ervationists Senator Harding tried
in his speech Of acceptance to avoid
the details Of a program. rather being
content to state broad policy of
preserved ma Honality on the one hand
with assured keeping of the Ameri-
can conscience for ourselves which,
he believes, inspired all the opposition
in the Senate. and on the other hand
ito assure the world of American
readiness to do our part in promoting
international peace through justice
rather than force"
Platform for s.a' League.
Really there might be as much en-
barrasSment to Senator Harding in
coming out f1atly for the Lodge reser-
vations as there would be in saying
at this time that no part of the treaty
of Versailles could be utilized to
carry out the platform pledges of the
republican party which favor "a"
league of nations of certain principles.
The time may come when. with Ger
tot eSnf frarr -<lo
cepted by Europe. that the" league
Of nations may satisfy all the require
ments set forth in the platform pro-
posal of "a" league of nations.
Senator Harding would find it neces-
sary if elected to deal concretely with
the treaty of Versailles as all but four
nations-Russia. Turkey, Mexico and
the United States-are either parties
to the treaty or members of the pres
ent league of nations. To say now
that he will stand on the Lodge res
ervationS would be to commit himself
power of a President to conduct for
eign policy which might prove awk-
ward for even a republican President
The original set of Lodge reservations
voted on in November. 1919, were much
less difficult than those adopted in the
following spring. In the effort to
circumscribe the power of Woodrow
Wilson, some of the senators forgot
for the moment that republican
President might some day be charged
with the responsibility of foreign
policy and would find himself power
less, especially if Congress were not
in session.
Now at heart Senator Harding would
be found demanding changes in the
league covenant very similar to those
which he voted for in the Senate, and
he feels very strongly that article
Y in its present form can be elm
mated without breaking the Heart of
Europe. Moreover, he doesn't antici-
pate serious objections to the equali-
bly, of the league.
However details are not being
preached at this time. The important
thing is that ultimately the treaty
of Versailles would be the basis for
the negotiations of the new under
standing and relationship with Eu-
rope to which Mr.. Harding referred
in his speech of acceptance. 1t will
be noted also that Gov. Coolidge, the
republican candidate for Vice Presi-
dent, shows the way toward the rati-
proper reservations. This speech
must. have been made with the
knowledge and approval OF the re-
nuhlican candidate for the presidency.
Senator Johnson's destructive criti-
cism has been needed, but Senator
Harding plainly intends to offer
constructive substitute and fulhll the
nledpe to civilization which America
made during the war-to participate
in a serious effort to form concert
Of nations to maintain the peace OF
the world.
Copyright. 1920