New-York tribune., 1920-11-04
British Think
Harding Will
Revise League
Press Comment OH Election
Is Varied, Some Holding
America First Policy Is
Deathblow to Covenant
Wilson's Errors Shown
Acted Part of Lonely Auto.
crat When Policy of Con
ciliation Was Needed

p,oa The Trsbure'S WoShinoton Bureou
Copyright 1920. New York Tribune Inc.
LONDON, Nov. 3.-The British ap-
,lapd the election OF Senator Harding,
althouch there is belief here that
he is against the League of Nations
News Of the result occupies first place
in the press, all of the papers featuring
.he fact that the Republicans won an
Unprecedented majority.
Some editorials interpret the cleo
ZION as meaning the end of the League
of Nations. holding that America has
decided definitely for an "America
First" policy, with no foreign entangle-
ments. while others declare that the
United States will assume responsible
jty abroad if the European nations ac-
cont her on her own conditions.
Opponents of the league point to
the election as proof of their conten-
lion that at is a fine but futile con-
rention of d body, which without force
and with only moral influences be-
lind il. was to settle the quarrels of
the world and make war impossible"
As The Globe puts it, "Without
America, which was the original home
Of the noti,n OF league. it has no
authority at all and it is clear that if
j. is ever to have any. it must be re-
modelled on lines which viii allow the
adhesion of that great country" The
Globe. as do other papers. believes that
Harding will cause less embarrassment
sver Ireland than would have been the
case if Cox had been elected On this
score. It saws ut is a source of con-
siderable satisfaction to reflect that
Governor Cox'S offer to meddle in our
affairs has proved q tactical mistake Of
such magnitude that he has suffered d
a defeat unprecedented in American
history
Fear Setback to League
The Liberal organs, such as The Star
and The Westminster Gazette, do not
conceal their isappointment that the
league received a serious if not fatal
setback. The Star declares: "Amcrica
intends to attend to its own business
and let the rest OF the would sink or
swim as it may" The Westminster
Gazette says "lf President Wilson
lad been we'll and strong he would have
been able TO stem the tide and carry
he policy for which he stood
The Evening Standard says the cleo
ion appears to be a triumph for the
policy Of isolation, but it believes that
Senator Harding's declaration that he
IS for an association of nations means
that America will reconsider her de-
cision The Standard adds: THE peo-
pie Of the United States are now in
full rebellion against the idea of a su-
Dermau in politics and are especially
inclined to view with suspicion the
mixture of idealiSm and autocracy
which distinguished President Wilson.
The voice OF history must be left to
deal impartiallv with this remarkable
nan who. after playing so enormous a
part on the greatest OF all stages, was
'ated TO suffer simultaneously po-
litcal defeat and q physical decline.
But it is poss bic to discern even thus
early one main cause of President Will
sons failure. He committed the great
errors Of going too far in advance Of
public opinion. of ignoring forces
which could not safely be ignored and
Of acting the lonely autocrat when his
only possible chance Of success lay in
conciliation.'
Sees I. S Committed to Caution
Lord NorthclFe's Evening News
does not consider that Senator Harding
will make any earth shaking changes"
adding that it regards the vote as
committing the United States to "cau-
ton in international politics, as op-
posed to adven1ure.'
All OF the papers wish the Presi-
dtnt-elect success upon his new path.
In official circles the result caused
nc surprise. British international
Iolicy has been shaped for months
upon the assumption that the Repub-
licans would win ana that the coun-
try would turn Gown the league. This