The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-16
COX DRIVE ID BE
 FOUGHT SQUARELY
 ON LEAGUE ISSUE
Answers Statement of 31 Prominent Republicans Re- garding League In Spoker
 Words of Harding
By Associated Press


 Detroit, Mich, October Ex-Governor Cox of Ohio, democratic presidential can- didate, announced here tonight that his campaign would be fought sauarely upon the League of Nations issue as drawn by Senator Harding, his republican oppo- nent, in the iatter's Des Moines speech in which the senator said he favored staying cut"
 The governors announcement was made in statement replying to that issued today by thirty-one prominent re- publicans. headed by E,lihu Root, Her bert Hoover, Henry w. Taft and others, declaring their support of Senator Har- ding.
 The governor said he did not see how the signers could consistently support Harding. His statement said:
 ''The gentlemen say The question $ whether VIC shall join an agreement con- taining the exact provision negotiated by President Wilson or an agreement which cmits or modifies some of it's provisons.' It is to be inferred that anyone who stands for the covenant as adopted. with or without reservations, is friendly to the league, and tha. anyone who is against the covenant. with without reservations, is clearly opposed to the
 
 Moines speech said Governor Cox fa- vors going into the league. and I favor staying out. It is not interpretation, but rejection, I am seeking. I leave the people of America to decide the case just as these gentlemen have presented it. l submit in answer the spoken words Of Senator Harding. If these gentlemen do not accept what he has said to the American people, then it is past my un- derstanding how they can, as matter of ethics, advocate his candidacy.
 STAND NOT JUSTIFIED
 If on the other hand they do not ac- cept in good faith what he has said, then I cannot see how they can, as friends of the league, advocate his candidacy. They attempt to justify their most astonis ing position on the theory that President Wilson was unbending in his attitude on the league. On the subject, they say, MT. Wilson insisted upon the agreement absolutely unchanged. These gentlemen, upon reflection, must realize that this is not justified by the facsts.' Citing the reservations offered by Senator Hitch cock of Nebraska. administration leader in the treaty contest, Governor Cox re- counted that President Wilson had writ ten Senator Hitchcock stating that he would accept reservations as they stand"
 In conclusion. Governor Cox said:
 .If things continue as they have been going on for the last ten days, it will be a difficult matter to determine whether the people are more amused at Senator Harding himself or at the desperation of his sponsors. A frantic effort is being made to stem the tide of resentment. It is flowing in every l community. The senatorial oligacchy | has apparently drawn on it's last re- | serves, and yet MT. Root pre- eminent | and distinguished as he is-and no one l places higher estimate on his states manlike qualities than l do-is unable | to bolster up the wiggling and Wop- bling candidate. After long period Of ! vacillation. the people have taken flr l at his spoken word at Des Moinss, and l upon this the campaign will be fought from snow Senator Harding IS against the league, with or without 1 reservations. Upon that we are will ing to rest our case"
 SPEAKS AT MARION
 In his speech here tonight and also in a half dozen other cities today through Ohio, Governor Cox continued his league preachments, making them almost his sole subject. A feature was speech at Marion, the home of Sem ator Harding. Several thousand per> sons there and at other Ohio points l cheered and applauded the democratic presidential candidate. At Marion, however the governor made no per- sonal reference to MT. Harding.
 Caustic reply was made by Governor Cox at Camp Carey. Ohio. to Senator Harding's statement yesterday regard ing printing of the league covenant. Reiterating charges that there was "a onspiracy of silence" against the lens ocratic cause and that the opposition was not eivirgt he public copies .,f the l league cogeaant Governor Cox said:
 'Senas sDr Ilaraing refers to my charge thas tbe sepublicans dare ot print ss a Goevnient the covenant, of | the L<a9ur af Nations in order that | the ppblig nsgrt read it, by stating that the pes-co treaty runs into S0,0O0 words hut q course, he knows the diff 1 ferenca hetwsen the treaty and the covenant The latter stands out sepa>
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