Evening star., 1920-11-15
ROOT SAYS c. 0.P.
! IS SURE TO FIND
LEAGUE SOLUTION
Confident Senate Will Reach
Workable Plan for AS
sociation of Nations.
SENATORS UNANIMOUS
ARTICLE X is DEAD
Leaders Now Anticipate Peace
With Germany Will Be Declared
I by Brief Resolution.
BY n, O. MESSENGER.

Ns
Former Senator Elihu Root, who
spent Saturday and Sunday in this
City. is confident that out of the dis
Cussions in the Senate will come q
workable plan for an association OF
nations. The compromise proposition
for an association of nations which
will be suggested in the Senate tc
bring together the extreme anti
leaguers and the still hopeful pro-
leaguers. is now being discussed by
some of the leading minds in the re-
publican party. The scope of an asso-
citation of nations is suggested to EN-.
brace three main features:
= Agreement among the nations fol-
creation of an official body which
would institute inquiry and investiga-
tion upon the threatened approach OF
war.
Establishment of a body to which
report could be made upon the merits
OF the controversy.
Recommendation by that body of ac-
fion to be taken. without either moral
or contractual obligation of the mem
Der nations to carry out the sugges-
tion.
Article Bei1eveQ Dea0s
1t is believed to be true that there
leading republicans of all shades OF
opinion that it will be impossible to
induce two-thirds of this or the next
Senate to agree to any covenant
which will impose upon the United
States the moral obligation, as con-
tained in article x of the Wilson
league, to go to war upon the recon-
mendation of any power on earth
save the will of the people as ex-
pressed by their representatives In
Congress.
At the same time it is recognized
that conditions might arise, as in the
case of the war with Germany. when
that expression would be overwhelm I'm :
ingly afiirmative, i not unanimously .ousty
win insist that this country be abs
solved from prior obligation.
Prominent republicans recognize
one main difdculty which will con-
front them in .eEe9finS the sugyested
thus laid down. 1t rests in the ques-
fion whether the new association can
be constructed out OF the material
of the Wilson league. or whether
creation OF an entirely new associa-
lion must be negotiated.
Associates Plan Very Complex.
Tho embarrassment Of proceeding by
the process Of elimination and interpret
1ation to build on the foundation Of the
Wilson covenant arises from the fact
that President Wilson, carrying out the
threat he made at the Metropolitan
of departure for his second visit to
France, 50 fnterwove the league Of na-
tions with the treaty Of peace that they
can hardly be separated
Yet the objection to proceeding anew
to negotiation of an association is the
tha$ ho Loo of no rlY
by the Versailles treaty. Is going con-
Germ. functioning now in part. Those
are the considerations which will render
complex the work Of President Harding
and his associates in trying to launch
q world combination in which this coun'
try can participate.
Another problem is, II it should be de
fermined to go ahead on the basis OF
the Wilson covenant, should the new
structure be by reservations or BY
amendment? It is argued tnae adop!
ing a reservation to article x, repudi
ating obligation under it, the nation.
which accepted it, would still be boun6
BY il while the United States would not
proposing an amendment eliminating
the article. it is contended, would placs
all nations in the association on the
same footing.
Harding's stand ON League.
In substantiation of the statement:
chat even the ardent pro-leaguers arr
convinced of the impossibility of sus
raining the principle involved in aftl
Gle X, incidents in connection witt
Senator Harding's famous Des Nome:
was construed by the public to meaI
that he rejected the league OF nations
What he intended understood wa:
that he rejected article x
The Des Moines :utterance was no
an impromptu declaration. The speech
had been carefully written. and copies
were sent to republican headquar
1ers in New York. They were showI
10 Mr.. Taft. to DR.. Jacob Goult
sch-rman and other pro-ieaguers
dates pronouncement. 1t was onl!
unfortunate that in the speech-whici
was a brief one. occupying only nfteel
.ninutes-Senafor Harding DID no
cite" his utterance more speclncail!
10 article y, TO prevent its associa
zion with the theory of world com
,,ination of nations for peace.
Republican leaders are discussing
,ba WAYS and means of proceeding Z
declare peace with Germany. Tn
...jght Of opinion sounded thus IA
.ca,rs to be in favor of a brief reso
,u,ior declaring what is already
Sart-that peace exists with Ger
1nany.
Pence Really Exists Now.
II is argued that such declaratio,
would remove all technical bars. il
a,oint Of fact. trade is going on will
Germany and peace exists between tn
two nations.
1t is much like the situation whel
Epeaker Reed counted quorum in tn
tiouse The democrats sa. in tn
tcats refusing to answer a roll call
'rhe Speaker pointed mem out an
declared them present with quorum
tn h. hall when an indignant demo
e-at protested the Speaker oryly said
''The chair has said the gentleman i
present in the hall: does he deny it?
After the declaration of peace. legis
3ation viii be proposed to return t
German citizens property OF whicl
they were relieved in the war an
u strong sentiment exists favorabl
10 the most generous treatment II
this regard. The commandeered Ger
man ships will not fall in this cate
cory. and due steps will be taken I
,simburse American ship owners 70
1csses inflicted by submarines in VIC
3ation of international law and prac
Ii'e.