Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-19

him, however, he answered along thi:
Inc by saying that he had said "spokes-
men" meaning general reference to a
number of persons who had assured him
that they knew what the French people
wanted and were thinking about.
| Senator Harding's reply to the Prcsiden
follows:
! MARION, ONO, Oct. 18.
| Dear Mr.. President:
/ | have before me press copy of your
letter to me of this date, though am not
in receipt of the original copy. am glad
to make prompt reply.
1t is very gratifying that you hesitate
| to draw inferences without my assurance
| that / am correctly quoted. The quota
tion as reported in your letter is not exact.
The notes of the stenographer reporting
my remarks quote me as saying France
| has sent her spokesmen to me informally
| asking America in its new realization OF
the situation to lead the way for an asso-
citation of nations.
| am sure that nv words could not be
| construed to say that the French Govern
ment has sent anybody to me. The thought
| was trying to convey was that there had
| come To me those who spoke a sentiment
which they represented to be very mani
fest among the French people, but nothing
! could suggest the French Government
having violated the proprieties OF inter
| Il: Il nal relations. Official France would
never seek to go over your high Office as
our Chief Executive to appeal to the
| American people or any portion thereof.
can see no impropriety In private citi-
gems of France, or in Americans deeply
friendly to France, expressing to me their
understanding of sentiment IN that
friendly republic.
1t is not important enough to discuss
perhaps, but ! very respectfully urge
that an informal expression to me is
rather more than that to private citizen
| hold a place as a member of the Foreign
Relations Committee of the United States
Senate, which is charged with certain
constitutional authority In dealing with
foreign relations, and | am necessarily
conscious that | am the nominee of the
Republican party for President of our
Republic.
In the combination of these two positions
it ought not to be unseemly that some
very devoted friends of new and better
relationship among nations, no matter
whence they come, should wish to advise
me relating to aspirations to cooperate
with our own Republic IN attaining that
high purpose. Let me assure you again OF
the observance of all the proprieties and
again assert that the French government
has maintained that great respect for your
position to which | myself subscribe.
With great respect | am, very truly.
Warren q. Harding.
Paris, Oct. Io.-The French foreign
Office stated shortly after noon today that
it had not yet received any demand from
Washington for information regarding the
subject referred to by President Wilson
IN his letter TO Senator Harding, tele-
graphed to the press of France from the
United States.
The only statement authorized by the
foreign office in this connection up to
this time is that no official communication
of any nature has been made by the French
government regarding q substitute for
the League of Nations.
Washington, Oct 1o.-An that could
be obtaiEed from the French Embassy in
regard to Senator Harding's statement
was that nothing was known there Of any
representative of the French Government
having been sent to Senator Harding
With a proposal concerningan association
Of nations, and press dispatches from Paris
said that the French Foreign Office denied
that any French representatives had been
sent 10 see Senator Harding.
Senator Hardings letter TO the Presi- |
dent in answer 10 the latter's telegram |
is likely 10 be extremely unsatisfactory |
10 Mr.. Wilson and to lead 10 further |
comment from the President which will |
be critical of the Republican candidate. |
There is expectation IN Washington that |
the incident will be stressed by the Dem |
ocratic campaign managers in the closing /
two weeks of the campaign and that /
Senator Harding viii be charged with /
having attempted 10 give the impression
to the American people that France was
ready to abandon the League Of Nations
and enter into some loose non-political
association such as has been suggested
by Senator Harding IN his speeches.
Paris, Oct. I9.-The French. Foreign
Office said yesterday that a new sssocia-
tion Of nations may have been discussed
by Senator Warren 9. Harding and some
The announcement said that if 8 French
man did have such conversation with
Harding he was not acting as spokesman
for France.