New-York tribune., 1920-09-21

sort to legal excuse we may escape the
absolute compulsion of a solemnly
pledged moral obligation. A choice,
in other words, between the American
Constitution and dishonor.
Il wonder, men and women, if your
sons and grandsons helped to win the
World War for such purpose as this /?
Is any pacifist in America SO deluded
as to believe that new era of in
ternational friendliness is ushered in
upon the heels of SO stupendous q
fraud:
Constitutional Rights Waived
"Once upon time when Congress
sought to allow American ships to pass
through the American Panama Canal,
oullt by American genius, with Ameri-
can money, to further American COM
merce and add to American defense,
understanding that American ships
were to pass through free of tolls. pur-
suant to democratic contract with the
people, as we'll as republican covenant.
the same President who brought US the
league begged Congress and his own
partisans to ignore their pledge be-
cause England objected that such &C
tion would violate the purport of an
obsolete Clayton Bulwer treaty. He
pleaded that the treaty's moral obliga-
tion flung absolute compulsion upon
US 10 ignore our constitutional rights
TO rule our own destiny and do as we
chose with our own ships in our own
canal. And the moral obligation won.
Who cares to say that this same sort
OF logic will. not some day be used to
plague an unwilling America into for
eign war if we unreservedly subscribe
to Article X, the Constitution to the
contrary Notwithstanding?
SO l say to you, men from Kentucky
and Tennessee and members of that
great organization which saved to US
Union and nationality, make your
choice, Constitution or the proposed
league, which? l haven't any doubt
what your decision will be. You be-
lieve in the United States of America.
You believe in the fundamental laws.
You believe in the capacity of America
to determine for herself what she is
going to do.
National Seiishness Denied
"Oh, my countrymen. that does not
mean that we do not intend to play our
part IN the activities Of the world.
Ihat does not mean that we purpose to
hold aloof and live a selfish existence.
Why, bless you, if selhshness had i'm
pelled there never would have been
Civil War, because VIC Of the North
could have lived alone and prospered
and had everything worth while with
out engaging in conflict with the South
over the Union and the Constitution.
ou know we went to war, or you
did, to preserve the ark of the coven-
ant Of American Liberty, and I tell
you, my countrymen, the great issue
IN America to-day is to preserve thas
ark. which is the great American in
heritance. And if the party for which
speak to-day may have its way we
mean to preserve it. And still in a
practical way we purpose making
Americas full contribution to the
progress and the uplift and the main
tenance of the peace of the world.
I'VE do not need any council Of for
elgn power to tell us how to play our
part"
Senator Harding pointed to the
weather-worn fagpole that stands in
his front yard and tol9 the veterans
that 1t once stood in the dooryard Of
William Mckinley, whom he called zone
OF the humblest, most sympathetic and
beloved Americans of all times" He
said that he liked to think of Mckinley
as the one who started the great work
OF healing the wounds of the war be-
tween the states.
makes Pledge to Veterans
Concluding, he said to the veterans:
81 make you the pledge of the SON:
OF a veteran that everything in my
power shall be done to hold intact the
inheritance you gave to u.s."
Three thousand or more members of
the Travelling Mems Harding and Cool
idge League are expected here Satur.
day: Under the auspices of the New.
York Salesmen's League, of which the
men and women behind the counters
OF New York stores are members, two
special trains are coming from New
York to Marion. There will be other
special trains from Boston, Philadel-
phia, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo,
Dayton. the home of Governor Cox,
and Columbus; large delegations
from indianapolis. Springfield, Urbana,
Canton and Akron and an automobile
delegation from Wheeling. W. Va. The
National Harding and Coolidge Travel
ing ing Ne Mems League has membership of
2oo,oOO after an existence of only ak
weeks.