Evening times-Republican., 1920-10-12
FAVORS FORMATION OF A
LEAGUE BUT NOT WILSON'S
PARTICULAR BRAND.
SENATOR MAKES CLEAR
POSITION on QUESTION
Says Wilson Plan Must Be Defeated
Because it is Dangerous and De-
structive Of American Constitution
Clarifies Confusion Growing Out
Of Des Moines Address.

Marion, o., Oct. 12.-On returning
to Marion from his western tour
Senator Harding found some misap-
prehension existing, particularly in
tn east. regarding his exact position
in the league OF nations controversy.
1t was assumed In these quarters
that he had taken the position in his
Des Moines speech that he rejected
the entire league idea. He gave out
a statement today, correcting that
assumption, after a conference with
some OF his advisors who had been In
New York.
There are also one or two other
questions to be settled. One Is that
some members of the American I4e-
gion did not like his declaration that
the American troops should be out of
Germany now. considering this as n
desertion of our French allies. There
will be statement on this later.
Another that he had been under
stood to say he would Join the
Friends OF Irish Freedom" He did
use this phrase, but referred to the
whole body of Americans who sym
pathize with the Irish cause. He de-
clared in the same address that Of
ficial America could not interfere.
Harding's League Statement.
The full text of the senator's state
ment tonight on the league issue
follow:
TT seems to me that there should
81. 1,N q
to my exact position as regards the
proposed league Of nations as drafted
at Paris and submitted to the senate
and as regards the great world sentf-
ment for better understanding
among nations to discourage war and
generally to advance civilization. Let
me restate my position as explicitly
as my power Of words permits:
''First-I am unalterably opposed
to going into~the league Of nations as
that particular proposition now
stands. That proposal is contemp-
tuous Of and potentially destructive
not favored by the American people
"Second-I am in favor of word
assocsation-call it what you will, the
name IS of slight consequence-that
will discourage or tend to prevent
war encourage a better understand
ing among the nations of the earth
The old order of things is done with
not only in America, but thruout the
world, and the United States. always
quick with sympathy, always just
and usually led by common sense,
must play its part in this new order
"Third--I believe that such an as
sociation can be formulated without
wrecking the constitution that re-
mains the cornerstone of our liber-
ties and of our happiness; without
seizing or filching the sovereignty
that Is our pride and our inspiration
to the fine living and good works.
'F'ourth-I earnestly belive that the
conscience, the ready sympathy the
sense of Justice and the plain COM
mon sense Of the United States can
be depended upon by the rest of the
world, and that it would be stupid
as we'll as unlawful to attempt to
chain our sympathies, our sense of
JUSTICE and our common sense, to
tie these strong, fine, dependable
American qualities to the possibly
selfish ambitions and aims OF foreign
nations Or group of nations, whose
ideals are not the same as ours, never
have been and meyer will be.
"Fffth-It is ~fny purpose, when
elected, to take the whole people into
my confidence as regards these mat
ters, to seek their advice, and more
Importantly, to. act consonantly with
their advice; and to this end it will
be my pleasure as we'll as my duty
to call into conference with me the
best minds, the clearest minds, that
America affords. Ithank God that the
time has come when I can ask the adj
vice Of American women, and espe-
cially the mothers of America.
''The substance of these things has
been said in some form or other in
every address, and 1 say it all defini-
tely now, because I am not always
fully reported, and I want America
to understand my thought of CO.
operation as well as the abiding op-