The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-10-16
COX REPLIES TO
81 PRO-LEAGUERS
BACKING HARDING
Democrat Insists on Holding
G. 0. P. Nominee to "Stay-
ing Out" Declaration in DeS
MoineS Address.

DETROIT, Mich, oct. I6.-Gov
Cox of Ohio Democratic presidential
. candidate, announced here last night
that his campaign would be fought
squarely upon the league of nations
issue, as drawn by Senator Harding
his Republican opponent, in the lat
ter's Des Moines speech, in which
the senator said he favored staying
out"
The governors announcement was
made in a statement replying to that
issued by 81 prominent Republicans,
headed by Elihu Root, Herbert Hoov-
err Henry w. Taft and others de-
claring their support of Senator Hard
ing.
The governor said he did not see
how the signers could consistently
support Harding. His statement
said:
''The gentlemen say the question is
whether we shall join an agreement
containing the exact provision ne
gotiated by President Wilson or an
\ agreement which omits or modifies
some of its provisions II is "a be
inferred that anyone who stands for
the covenant as adopted with or
without reservations is friendv 10 the
league, and that anyone who is
against the covenant, with or without
reservations, Is clearly opposed to
the league. Senator Harding, in his
Des MoineS speech said: Gov. Cox
favors going into the league and
favor staying out. 1t is not ihterpre-
tation but rejection am seeking |
leave the people of America to decide
the case just as these gentlemen have
nrAeRnfaH 4 I IN,
the spoken words of Senator Harding.
III these gentlemen do not accept what
he has said to the American people.
then It is past my understanding
how they can, as matter of ethics,
advocate his candidacy.
IF. on the other hand. they do
not accept in good faith what he
has said, then | can not see how
they can, as friends OF the league,
advocate his candidacy. They at
tempt to justify their most astonish-
Ang position on the theory that Presi-
dent Wilson was unbending I'M his
attitude on the league. On the sub
Ject. they say. Mr.. Wilson insisted
upon the agreement absolutely I'M
changed. These gentlemen, upon re-
Election, must realize that this is not
Justified by the facts"
Citing the reservations offered by
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska, ad-
leader in the treaty con-
test, Gov. Cox recounted that Presi-
dent Wilson had written Senator
stating that he could ac-
cept reservations 'as they stand"
In conclusion Gov. Cox said:
TT things continue as they have
been going, for the last ten days, It
viii be a difficult matter to determine
the people are more amused
at Senator Harding himself or at the
desperation of his sponsors.
In his speech here last night and
also In half-dozen other cities in
Ohio. Gov. Cox continued his league
making them almost
his sole subject. A feature was
speech at Marion, the home of Sena-
tor Harding. Several thousand per-
sons there and at other Ohio points.
cheered and applauded the candidate.
At Marion. however, the governor
made no personal reference to Mr.
Caustic reply was made by Gov
Cox at Carey, Ohio. to Senator
Harding's statement regarding print
Ing Of the league covenant. ,Reiterat-
iASa NAidl GOS tlttG was COIl-
spiracy of silence" against the Dem
ocratic cause and that the opposition
was not giving the public copies of
the league covenant. Gov. Cox said:
Senator Harding refers to my
charge that the Republicans dare not
print as a document the covenant of
the league OF nations in order that
the public might read 1t, by stating
that the peace treaty runs into So
600 words; but, of course, he knows
the difference between the treaty and
the covenant. The latter stands out
separate and alone as distinct as the
amendmentlto the consti-
tuition. The covenant requires less
than four columns of space in a
newspaper, and yet the candidate for
the presidency attempts to justify the
of silence by clearly
implied Misrepresentation"