New-York tribune., 1920-10-15
might and self-intcrest, and not merel,

might and self-intcrest, and not merely
proclaimed an agency in pursuit of
peace, but 80 organized and so par
ticipated in as to make the actual
attainment of peace reasonable DOS
sthiiity. Such an association / favor
with all my heart, and | would make
no fine distinction as to whom credit
is que. One need not care what it is
caHed' Let 1t be an association, a So
clesy or league, or what not. Our
concern is solely with the substance
not the form thereof
mr. Harding has since repeatedly
reaMrmed the declarations of this
speech, In the most positive terms.
Question of Changes
THE question accordingly Is not be-
tween league and no league, but is
posed league agreement shall be &C.
cepted unchanged or shall be changed.
The contest is not about the prin-
clpie OF league of nations, but it is
about the method of most effectively
applying that pri nciple to preserve
peace.
IF the proposed changes in the Paris
agreement were ca ptous or without
substantial grounds, one might question
b,
however, is not the oase.
The principal change proposed con-
Germs Article of the League covenant
as negotiated at Paris. Mr.. Wilson de-
ciares this to be 'th e heart of the
covenant, and the chiaf controversy is.
about this.
Article x provides chat the nations
agreeing to the treaty shall:
Preserve as against external ag-
~ ,,.tN 4
existing political independence of all
members of the league
Ihat is an obligation Of the most
vital Importance, and it CO rtainly binds
every nation entering into it to so
z war whenever war may ibe necessary
to preserve the territorial integrity or
pom teal independence of any meariDcr
of tie league against ext ennal agg,es-
sion.
1T X idle to say that Congress has
power b refuse to authorize suth a
war, for whenever the tire tty calls for
war q refn sal By Congress to pass the
necessary resolution would be refusal
by cur goveNment to keep the obllga-
tion Of the treaty, The aiter''atiye
emnlv pledged faith Of TIVE United
States.
eve cannot regard such a provision
as necessary or useful for a league
to preserve peace.
Menace Of Article x,
eve have reached the c pInclusion
that the true course to bring America
into an effective league to preserve
peace is not by insisting will Mr. Cox
uDon the acceptance of sue h q pro-
vision as Article X, thus rirt,longing
the unfortunate situation re ated by
Mr.. Wilson's insistence upon that ar
ticle, but by frankly calling. apon the
other nations to agree to Oh, nges in
the proposed agreement VIII lch Will
obviatc this vital objection alld other
objections less the subject Of dispute.
isFor this course we can lool only to
the Republican party and il candl-
de; the Democratic party and Mr.
Co. are bound not TO follow it. The
Republican party is bound by every
consideration of good faith to pursue
such course until the Dc clared OBJ
ject is attained.
"The conditions of EnrNne make 1t
essential that the stabilizi ng ERECT Of
European powers shall not be lost by
them and that the necessary change
be made by changing the' terms of
that treaty rather than by beginning
entirel- anew.
"That course Mr.. Harding is willing
to follow, for he said IN his speech OF
August 28:
~ would take and combine all that
is coed and excise all that is bad from
hoth organizations (the COURT and the
lcague). This statement is broad
enough to include the suggestion that
if the league which has heretofore
riveted our considerations and aWore-
tensions has been so entwined and in
terwoven into the peace of Europe that
its good must be preserved III order
to stabilize the peace OF that CONT
nent, then it can be amended or re-
vsed so that we mny still have a rem
nant of the worlds aspirations in 1913
builGed into the worlds highest CON
ception Of helpful cooperation in the
ultimate realization
"We therefore believe that we can
most effectively advance the cause of
international cooperation to promote
peace by supporting Mr.. Harding for
election to the Presidency.
October IA, 1920"