Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-13
CANDIDATES AVOID
| URGING MILITARY
HELP FORPOLAND
Return of EIihu Root From
, Europe to Influence
Campaign.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

NAHUM, ONO, August IL" Orlu
politics. the disturbing situation i'll
Poland and the menace of bolshevism,
the American governments note re-
fuSlng to recognize the bolshevik
regime and expressing again friend
ship for the Russian people. have fail
cd to draw any comment from Senator
Harding, the republican candidate for
the presidency.
Beyond the general statement made
In his speech at Columbus. the sena-
TOR declined to say a word on what he
considers a pending matter of state.
When he said there is just as much
menace in the world today as there
was in the turbulence of war-civili-
cation has not settled down." his
hearers interpreted that utterance as
having been inspired by reading of
the distressing reports from Poland.
Sees America as Barrier.
The senator confined himself to the
nope that America would stand as a
barrier to revolution and disorder
throughout the world but did not
go into detail as to how the United
states might use her influence in that
direction most effeCtivelS The mem
Ilon of the use of force in lighting
holsheVism by aiding foreign armies
is just as much aboo in republican as
democratic circles. For the campaign
"N"iHst tiit Itd ut OF nations mas been
carried on so much on the theory that
lhe United States would have to send
soldiers across the seas to mix in
European quarrels that neither candi-
GATE is to be found urging military
aid for Poland
Senator Harding. however. did not
even intimate that America should
90 more than protect her own bound
aries against the spread of bolshe-
Nlsn by standing on firm foundations
ana settling affairs at home The
democratic doctrine is that unrest in
America is partially the result of dis
order abroad and that the possible
spread of bolshevism across Poland
ana INTO Germany and the continent
OF Europe cannot but affect the eco
nomle life of America through
depreciation of foreign currency and
the continued inability of European
countries to pay America her interest
on the ten billions of dollars loaned
them during the war a factor which,
~ is contended, has much to do with
the depreciation of liberty bonds.
Look to Return of Root.
OF course, the democrats claim, too.
mat had there been an effective con-
cert of power i'll Europe, had the
present league of nations not been
impaired in functioning through the
failure of the American Senate to
permit the United States to throw her
moral force in the scales of Europe.
the new republic of Poland might
have been saved long before this.
But the republican doctrine on such
things is as yet underlined, for while
Senator Hiram johnson has given his
pledge to take an extremely active
part in the campaign against the
league of nations and the treaty, an
other element in the republican party
looks forward with keen anticipation
to the return of Elihu Root from Eu-
rope with a new plan to preserve
world peace.
Mr.. Root. it will be remembered.
thought the covenant should be quail
lifted by reservations, and while he
was willing at the outset to take
article y with reservation. he later
denounced the whole thing and final
1y wrote the league of nations plank
which was embodied in the republican
national platform at Chicago last
June. Since that time he has been
actively engaged in drawing up in
company with the juristS of other
countries a constitution for the per-
manent court of international justice,
the establishment of which was pro-
vided for in the league of nations
covenant brought back by President
Wilson.
Held Many Conferences.
But Mr. Roots journey to Europe
has meant conferences with many OF
the statesmen over there who think
he will be the biggest influence in
the Harding administration II the
senator is elected-and European
diplomats usually take no chances.
They try to get in on the ground
floor with whatever administration
seems likely to be in power IN the
United States Mr.. Root has outlined.
in conversation with European ON
Gals and public men. the objections
which the republican party has to
the Wilson covenant. and the expec-
tation is that Europe. in order to get
American support, will be more than
willing to accept the notifications
which Elihu Root suggests.
Already there is feeling here that
Senator Harding will be materially