The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1920-09-03
HARDING MAKES
POSITION PLAIN
Addresses Gathering From
Home In Telling
Effect

delegation from indianapolis. and ia
as follows, in part:
Let us suppose the Senate-had rat
flied the peace treaty containing the
League covenant as submitted 40 IL
by the President in Jliy of last year.
BEFORE this day we would have been
called upon to fulfil the obligations
which we had assumed under Article
\ OF the league covenant to preserve
the territorial integrity of Poland as
against external aggression.
THE council of the League of Ma
lions would have reasoned and rea-
soned correctly, that the United
States could furnish the munitions
and, If necessary, the men to with
stand the hordes advancing from
Russia far more easily than could
the exhausted nations of Europe.
What would of necessity have to re-
suit? Nothing necessarily, we are
glibly informed, since only the Con-
gress can declare war, and the Con-
gress might reject the appeal of the
Executive. But would the Congress-
do that? Could the Congress do that
without staining indelibly the honor
OF the nation?
Couldn't WEIGH, He says.
THE American people would never
permit reputation of debt of hon.
or. No Congress would ever dare
make this nation appear as welcher,
as it would appear and would be in
such an event before the eyes of the
world.
For myself, l yield to no man in
willingness, aye, in eagerness to rem
der the greatest conceivable assist
ance to the stricken peoples Of Eu-
rope. include all of them, and
speak with genuinely sympathetic
heart, whether 1t is to mention de-
wasted France. or sorely tried Italy,
or nobly struggling Poland. or dis
tracted and misguided Russia, or gal
liant little Belgium, or pitably de-
ceived Austria, or the ruthless in
vader, Germany, which came to the
supreme tragedy through a leader
ship which brought disaster to her
misguided people.
ut was with that feeling of SYM
patty and desire to serve that most
reluctantly and with grave misgiv-
ings, as l announced at the time, I
voted to accept the League covenant
with reservations designed to pre-
serve our essential liberty of action.
The record is made and under the
same conditions, confronted by the
same alternative. should vote now
as voted then
Asserts League Is Impotent-
But the conditions have changed
Experience has brought enlighten-
ment. We know now that the League
constituted at Versailles. is utterly
impotent as a preventative of wars.
1t is so obviously impotent that it
has not even been tried. 1t could not
survive single test. The original
League. mistakenly conceived and I'M
reasonably insisted upon has I'M
passed beyond the possibili-
ty Of restoration.
'Now it may appear to. you that
have been speaking chiefly in the
negative. l make the admission
What is more, might continue to do
so almost indefinitely without disad-
to our cause. SO many things
have been done by the present expir-
Ing Administration that no power on
earth could induce me to do. that
cannot even attempt to recount them.
may remark casually, however. that
Il should be. as l fully expect to be.
elected President. of this just and
honorable republic. will not empow-
sr an Assistant Secretary of the Navy
% draft a constitution for helpless
in the West Indies and jam
I down their throats at the point OF h
,ayonets borne by United States ma
ines. Nor will | misuse the power
If the Executive to cover With a veil
If secrecy repeated acts of unwar-
'anted interference in domestic af-
airs of the little republics of the
Western Hemisphere.
Protection For Americans.
ION the other hand, | will not. or
hall not, as you prefer, submit to
my wrong against any American citi-
EN-. with respect to either his life