The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-11-09
Editorial
of the Day
PLEDGE THAT WILL PROVE
TR0UBLES0NIE
From Dallas News)

Mr.. Harding is under q definite
pledge to associate the United States
with other nations of the earth in
an organized effort to prevent the
occurrence of war That is pledge
on which he could not safely default,
even if he We're inclined To SO do
for there can be little doubt that
he would not have been elected il
he had not persuaded the country that
in some manner he would accomplish
the purpose of the league of nations
and in what manner he will bring
about its organization. are questions
which get no answer in his references
to the subject. even now that he is
relieved of the need he was under
during the campaign To be reticent.
Perhaps the explanation is that Mr.
Harding himself does not yet know.
Several times during the campaign
Mr. Harding pronounced the league
Of nations dead" and in a way
which suggested that, in his view, it
had succumbed to its own congenital
maadies. In speaking to company
Of home folk who came to celebrate
his election the other evening, Mr.
Harding again declared the league OF
nations to be dead. or deceased" to
quote his words, but in circumstances
which suggested that, in his opinion
its death was the result, not Of its
own inherent weakness, but of his
election. This compels the inference
I that he and his party have deter
mined To assist on the utter abandon
ment and destruction of the existing
league of nations as preliminary
prerequisite to the organization of
that association which he is pledged
to bring into existence.
| Conceivably, there are at least three
ways in which Mr.. Harding and his
party could go about the redemption
Of the pledge they are under. They
could ratify the covenant of the
league OF nations with such reserva-
tions as they should think necessary
to conform it TO their own idea Of
expedience and safety, but subject TO
| the condition that those reservations
should be formally assented to by all
/ the other members of the league.
/ They could, to describe the second
method. formulate such changes in
/ the covenant as they think desirable
and submit them TO the assembly
OF the league OF nations in the form
Of amendments to be adopted as n
condition of the United States en-
trance into II. Or to describe the third
method. they could declare that the
covenant Of the league is susceptible TO
no modification which would make
/ 1t acceptable to the United States,
and propose ts utter destruction and
the adoption Of another plan which
would be submitted with that pro-
posal.
In so far as there Is any enlight-
enment in the latest of Mr.. Harding 5
/ references TO the subject, this seems
to be the course he is inclined to pur-
sue. And yet, Notwithstanding this
Is the inevitable inference, there are
reasons which council one to reject H.
For example this is not the course
which such influential members of
the party as Mr., Taft. Mr.. Root Mr.
Wlckersham and Mr.. Hoover have
promised that II would follow. The pro-
cedure which they have outlined re-
qulres the ratification Of the peace
treaty. including, OF course, the cove
naut OF the league Of nations, with
such revision and enlargement cl
I the Lodge reservations as NAV be
agreed on. \ further reason for dis
trusting the inference that Mr., Hart
ing viii propose the abandonment
and destruction of the league of ma
/ tons Is the manifest and extreme
unhkenhood that the forty or more
nations which have subscribed to the
covenant could be- induced to accede
to such a proposal. II is possible. and
even probable. thl; they would con-
sent TO a radical reconstruction of the
| league Tor the sake OF getting the
! United states into Il: but that they
would. at the bidding Of the United
| states vns,ge In the demolition ni II
/ and tho fcnoyal of the wreckagr that
/ a new structure might b. reared on
the same ground can hardly be ton-
ceiyahlc to those who reflect on the