Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-21
COVENANT |SFULL
Of ANTIQUITIES"
DECLARES HARDING
Candidate Speaks to Ken
lucky and Tennessee
Men on Issue.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
| MARION, Ohio, September 21.-
Warning that the league Of nations
is full of known antiquities" and
that it was an ambiguity in our own
Constitution that lead to the civil
war. Senator Harding yesterday asked
and a delegation of Kentucky and
Tennessee citizens how we ever can
, consent to enter into a new world
compact with dozen antiquities
| in it"
| The senator asserted that article x
of the league of nations is a "recipro-
cal pledge on our part to help pre-
serve the independence and national
| integrity of forty-four nations and
| that the article and it's correlarfes
to make this preservation possible"
Panama Tolls.
Asserting that President Wilson had
clayton-Bulwar treaty above our
constitutional rights in requiring tolls
| from American vessels passing
through the Panama canal. Senator
Harding exclaimed:
Who cares care; to say that this same
used to plague an unwilling America
into foreign war If we unreservedly
subscribe to article x. the Constitu-
ing?"
Owing to a misunderstanding. the
Kentucky and Tennessee delegation
came yesterday instead Of today and
the presidential candidate found it
convenient to address them along
with the delegation of G. A. r. vet
Grams who had stopped off on Their
way to attend the national encamp-
ment at Indianapolis.
Mr.. Harding's Speech.
Senator Harding said, in part, yes
Have you ever stopped to think
that we, one people, with naturally
one interest, were led into the civil
war by mere ambiguity in the
Iederal Constitution? In the begin
that there was of necessity uncer-
tainty left in the compact that was
made. and it required the civil war
to wipe it out. And that was a very
great price to pay.
But remembering that my coun-
trymen, I want to ask you, knowing
the cost Of wiping out the ambiguity
IN the Constitution of our own re-
public. how can we ever consent to
enter into new world compact with
dozen antiquities in it?
Az to Article x.
Let me call your particular atten-
ton to one: There is much dispute
about that which is known as the
heart of the league No American
and for the Constitution Of our re-
public any more than an American
In Lncoln's time could be stimuli
taneously for emancipation and for
slavery.
Let me say right here in passing
| that am a fairly sympathetic human
being and wouldn't break the heart
| Of anybody knowingly. but I would
| rather break the heart Of the world
than destroy the soul Of the United
Article K is a reciprocal pledge on
Il our part to help preserve the inde-
II pendence and the territorial integrity
lof. forty -four nations, if all who are
invited to join the league do so. COM
ndanding thirty-five million square
miles of the earth's surface. Article x
| and its corrollaries clearly contem-
n plate war, if need be, to make this
preservation possible. In case of such
war it is official testimony. in the
America is under an absolutely COM
polling moral obligation to go in.
/ mark Well the Words
Mark we'll those ominous words:
There is nothing elastic about abso-
Il lutte compulsion. Yet the Constitution
makes Congress absolutely sovereign
over Americas decision as to war.
Therefore. what is the result? The
covenant and the Constitution imme-
diately clash. Confronted with this
II unacceptable fact. American citizens
are told BY league apologists. and by
the democratic nominee for President
II that legally no treaty can subvert the
Constitution, and, therefore, that by
resort to legal excuse we may escape
the absolute compulsion of a solemnly
pledged moral obligation. A choice. in
other words, between the American
Constitution and dishonor.
Wonders What "SOns" Think.
II wonder, men and women. If your
sons and grandsons helped to win the
world war for such purpose as this?
Is any pacifist in America SO deluded
as to believe that new era of inter-
national friendliness is ushered in