The Washington times., 1920-11-28
HOPEFORNEW
LEAGUE FADES
G. o. p. Leaders Admit Hard
ing's Association OF Ma
tons" Is Not Feasible.

CONTINUED from First Page)
and the repeal OF war laws will fol-
low In natural sequence.
In the last few days. leading Sena-
tors have taken up, quite informally.
=, the subject OF just how the ii riding
administration could go about TO
form, or initiate successfully. an as
sociation OF nations such as Mr..
Harding outlined in the campaign.
DIDN'T GET FAR.
Did they get far? They did not
On the contrary. they ran INTO a
stone wall in about three minutes and
couldn't get over II.
Here, briefly, Is The situation,
which may best be illustrated by
ccncrete instance: Suppose this gov
ernment sounds the British govern
nent on the formation OF new as
ISOLATION OF nations, looking to peace
and disarmament. The London gov
crnment will undoubtedly reply that
it is already in one association or
league for peace and that under the
terms OF the covenant II cannot well
enter another, and certainly not
another unless II be in strict con-
cormity to the league covenant.
France would make the same reply if
approached and so doubtless would
other nations.
might say she was willing to enter
into such an association as proposed
by Mr.. Harding as soon as she could
get out OF the league. But to get out
of the league requires notice and
time.
1t Is hardly thinkable that, at the
instance of this Government, the al
lied powers would scrap the whole
| Versailles treaty and make new one
mt nd en-
form new association, apart from
the treaty. for the promotion OF peace.
Some have, indeed, thought this
practicable. but it can be said this is
not the view OF leading Senators.
That is. they do not believe this
would be brought about and hence
they foresee the United States ending
he war by resolution. leaving the
Versailles treaty standing so far as
the allies and their former opponents
are concerned.
SEE NOTHING PRACTICAL.
This view that no practical way
has yet been suggested for the for
nation Of an association Of nations. it
can be said, is the view both of SEN
iAtors who have favored the league
with reservations and Of irreconcil-
ables, or some of them.
ocHdtoT hdTulHS, aS fFcSIucnt,
might, indeed, say to the foreign
'powers that this country would stand
tor the League with reservations or
amendments. Thus this country
might enter the League on its own
terms. But in order to take such
"a course. Senator Harding would
thave to go back on what he advo-
lated in the campaign. and he would
have to overcome the objections of
"nough irreconcilables or irreconcila-
lies and Administration Democrats in
the Senate to achieve ratification. 1t
is not at all certain he could do that.
If one gets near enough to the bot
lom OF real opinion in the Senate to-
day he will find that there is little
zeal expectation anything is going to
come for a long time either of the
association of nations or any. phase
Of the League project, so far as this
country is concerned. The matter
may drift for years.
That this would be a disappoint-
jnent to advocates of some form of a
league for peace or association for
pcace in this country goes without
saying.
Moreover, the advocates of the Will
son League among the Democratic
leaders would unquestionably do
their utmost to stir up political grief
for the administration OF Mr.. Hard
ing if things should shape UP as here
indicated.
LEAGUE AS FUTURE ISSUE.
Stranger things have happened than
that the country will find itself once
more talking about the League issue
N the 1922 campaign and the 1924
"ampaign. Whether it would be pos
III q he
issue then would ucpend entirely on
'he course of world developments and
whether the League OF Nations show
ed any symptoms of being success
lul
II Woodrow Wilson keeps his
strength and Is able to continue agi-
tation for the League, he will have Il
Nided the United States fails to enter
any association or arrangement for
Deace and disarmament.
Suggestion has been made that Mr.
Harding soon after he becomes
President call n world conference at
Washington to consider "a movement
Ior an association of nations. This
looks feasible on the face of it. But
the League OF Nations and it's mems
bership stand in~the road. In fact
for the nations to respond generally
10 such an invitation would practical
Iy amount, by common consent, TO
scuttling the League, something
which is not probablc now or in the