The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-11-06
Nv MARK SULLIVAN
National Political Correspondent OF IN
Intelligencer and The New 1orh
Evening Post

Intelllgencer and The New YORK
Evening Post
New York. y. Y, Nov. 5.-rhe League.
OF Nations question has SO long been
with US and IS so surely destined TO re-
main with US that tho feelings or most
persons at this temporary resting point
could probably be expressed accurately
in the tired but still good-natured querE
of the dough-boy song. mere 10 We
Go From Here" T.,
Where we shall so from here Is in
the hands OF l'rcstdent-elect Hardlns
and Of the Senate. AS TO what tne
newly elected Senate feels about the
League Of Nations, and as TO what act-
ion Il is likely to take. shall say some
thing later on. l hive been at some
pains to find out the position on the
League of Nations taken BY each can,
didate for the Senate in tho various
states. A compilation OF these plat
forms Of individual senator's WILL snow
IN me aggregate about what the Color
Of the new senate Is likely 10 be on INC
League. ,,io
As TO what Senator Hardingss position
will be there need be no doubt. l am
well aware that Il large part OF the ais
cusslon in the recent campaign rested
upon the assumption that Harulns
position Is IN doubt: HSv vsTIns SSst
ton is. and always has been, the posi-
tion which he expressed with particular
care in his August IS speech. ina.
position, by IN" way. coinclocS eNtC'LS
With a position which he took In
sneech made while he was still IN the
senate. and before he was nominateu
for the presidency. Senator Harding mas
made no change in his position either
before the August IS SpeSEn or or "i'e' 49,
Tho arguments to the effect that
Harding's position on the league ot
Nations was In doubt rested chiefly on
tho allegation that in his Des MONIES
No ChnnKe
IN the direction OF no league, that is TO
say, in the direction OF Senators Borah
and Johnson from the position ne hau
taken in his August Is speech:
This belief, sincerely held by man!
persons. had no real foundation: and the
wny II rose and spread like a legend is
ono of the most interesting stories OF
the campaign. or course. the Des
Moincs speech and tho August IS speech
are both on record for any one 10 see
any ono who cares to 50 come to ms
own conclusions. The fact is. however.
tina, literally millions OF persons came
to conclusion on tho point with0uI
legend was based on newspaper mead
lines. and the headlines In turn were
based on detached fragments OF the Des
Moines speech.
OF the fact that Harding IN his Des
Moines speech did not change his posi-
speeches are themselves tho best evil
dence. But Of the fact that Senator
Harding was not under any pressure
from Borah or Johnson: OF me racS 'h h;s
position IN the Des Moines speech. but
on the contrary. meant the Des MONIES
speech to be q reaffirmation or ms
August % speech, and OF the TACT tnat
pro- League partisans who read the
speech previous to its delivery, and free
from the atmosphere OF the headlines.
n pproved it-of all that the proof lies
in what Is one Of the most interesting
story Of o Telegram
Early in October q group or tne pro
League supporters Of Senator Harding
became alarmed at the newspaper re-
ports to the effect that Harding was
In this state Of alarm they determined
TO satisfy themselves before they were
willing TO 60 further In their support
Of Senator HardnE They met In SS%
in a teieSram to Senator Harding. More
they sent their telegram 10
VIII Hays. who, they knew. wa* at
Marion. The telegram was signed on
and Jacob Gould Schurman. president of
Cornell University The telegram was
long one. and. rs say. expressed appre-
hens!on lest Harding might. yield to
pressur" from, Borah and johnson and
utpdTl lIVin MS rus uSI 80 "FN.
VIII Hays got the telegram at Marion
and showed X to Senator Harding:
Thereupon sSnator Harding himself
sent the following reply to Messrs
Hoover and Schurman q quote the
telegram from memory, but l am sure
that these were the words):
There has been no change; there Will
be no change. Nothing has been SAID
nothing will be said in conflict with
my August % speech. ! hope you will
see my speech to be delivered at Des
Moines October u
In suggesting that they should look
up his Dos MoInes speech. Senator
Harding had in mind the fact that there
was an advance copy OF this speech IN
the New York headquarters. available
for Mr.. Hoover and Mr.. Schurman and
II, read II infinitely. and expressed due
satisfaction with II. Being reassured
BY It. they went ahead with their plans.
In addition to this group. one OF the
most prominent Of the pro-League Re-
publicaus In New York read the advance
copy OF the Des Motnes speech, and eS-
pressed enthusiasm for Y. saying:
That's exactly what We need; that's
real pro-League speech"
When most of the newspapers. and
probably the bulk of the public. took
was = change from the August ~
speech, certainly no one was moro sur
priscd than Senator Harding himself
He supposed he had reatrirmed his Aug
ust IS speech. what then, was tho cause
Of the widespread assumption that no
had changed his postttonc
Causes Of Misoonstruction
One cause lay In the fact that certain
strong expressions Of his attitude on