New-York tribune., 1920-09-21
Harding Shows
Veterans Peril
In Article X
Treaty Full of Antiquities,
He Asserts; Cites Pam.
anna Tolls Episode as
Warming to- Americans
Answers Wilson's Plea
Better Break the Heart of
the World Than Destroy
Soul of America, He Says
From a s.aG Correspondent

MARION, Ohio, Sept. 20.-Senator
Warren G. Harding to-day warned 400
q A. X, veterans that the League of
Sstions was full of known ambigui-
t;esn and asked those white-haired
San in blue whether they would have
sSe Republic they fought to preserve
,nter into a new world compact filled
With menacing complications.
The veterans, most of whom lived in
scrthern Ohio and who stopped here on
sheir way TO indianapolis to keep what
wiil be for many of them the last ter
vestrisl rendezvous Of the soldiers Of
sgl," forgot their years in a thunder
ans shout that had its substance in
sS;ss of "No!" and "Never!" The peo-
ols Of the South were represented in
ttst negative also, for among the dele
~.s;ons the Senator was addressing
Esye Republicans from Kentucky and
Tennessee.
"A stupendous fraud" was one Of the
terms applied to the League of Nations
Sv Senator Harding. With reference
10 Presidents Wilson's statement that
Ia revise Article X would break the
SeaYa of the world, the Senator said
shat he would rather break the heart
ef the world than destroy the soul Of
the United States of America.
Refers to Canal Surrender
FOR the second time since his nomi-
cation Senator Harding referred to-day
10 the question of free passage for
American ships through the Panama
Canal. In his address OF acceptance he
nrornised to bring this about. To-day
$he candidate employed that issue and
President Wilson's insistence upon de-
Of Hnh
iete treaty" to illustrate his contention
that "if we subscribe to Article \ of
the covenant we may be drawn into
war through an insistenee that treaty
oblisations are of greater weight than
Constitutional rights"
The old soldiers marched down Mt.
Vernon Avenue behind the flags OF
Cooper Post, the Marion G. A. R. or
eanization, of which DR.. George T.
Harding sr., the candidates. father. is
a member. They couldn't swing along
in the wide stride that took them over
Southern roads more than half cen
tury ago, but they made a brave eff
fort to equal it as they came in sight
Of the Harding home and the fife and
drum corps Of Cooper Post began to
play.
"Rally Round the Flag. Boys"
"Have you ever stopped to think
that we, one people, with naturally one
interest, were led into the Civil War
by q mere ambiguity in the Federal
Constitution" asked Senator Harding
In his address. "In the beginning we
were 80 divided in our ideas that there
was Of necessity uncertainty left in
the compact that was made, and it
required the Civil War to wipe it out
And that was very great price to
pay. But, remembering that, my coun-
tTynen, want to ask you, knowing the
cost Of wiping out the ambiguity in
the Constitution of our own Repub-
lie, how can we ever consent to enter
into q new world compact with
dozen antiquities in it?
Condemns Article x
"Let me call your particular atten-
sicn to one: There is much dispute
about that which is known as the
heart of the league No American
can be simultaneously for Article X
and for the Constitution OF our Re-
public any more than an American in
Lineoln's time could be simultaneously
for emancipation and foc slavery.
Article K. the heart of the league
to revise which is to break the heart
Of the world,
let me say right here in passing,
that / am fairly sympathetic human
being, and wouldn't break the heart
OF anybody knowingly, but I would
rathes break the heart of the world
THAN destroy the soul of the United
states Of America.
Article is reciprocal pledge on
eur part to help preserve the inde-
pendence and the territorial integrity of
twenty-four nations (if all who are
invited to join the league do so), com
handing thirty-fve million square
hiies OF the earthS surface. Article K
and Its corollaries clearly contemplate
var. If need be, to make this preserva-
uon possible. In case of such war it
omeiai testm ony in the words Of the
resident himself, that America is
ss1 aaaer an absolutely compelling moral
seligation to 60 in.
o., Mark well those ominous words:
anefe is nothing elastic about absolute
Scompulsion. Yet the Constitution makes
Sengsess absolutely sovereign over
sAmerlcas decision as to war. There
ao1e' wnat is the result? The covenant
sha the Constitution Immediately
san. snsn. Confronted with this unescap-
so'e fact, American citizens are told
~ ieagae apoIogists, and by the Demo-
Iila'ie nominee for President that
...sany no treaty cen subvert the Con-
saIation. and, therefore, that. by re-
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