The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-25
HARDING FIGURES ON 4 SUBSTITUTE
 FOR LEAGUE ISSUE
May Suggest Joining Inter- national Court, But Re- maining Outside of
 the Council
By CLINTON w. GmBERr

Marion, O., August 2i tspecial1-Wim Senator Harding's international pro. gramme to be revealed here Saturday be a proposal to enter he court, but not the council and assembly of the League or Nations?
 The best guess made here is that this is the republican plan It is hardly more than a guess, for the secret of Mir Hard ing s intentions is well guarded But all the known circumstances point toward the League O. Nations court as the repub- iican means of keeping the worlds peace, and the political advantage of that course is considerable.
 It has been announced from here in the press that Mr. Hardng's proposal will be the Root .an.' and Mir Root has been in Europe assisting unofficiali- under the auspices of the League of Ma tions in the formation of an international f court of arbitration The republicans might propose acceptance by tae wo;sr- generally of the Root court, and tne scrapping of the League of Nations, but there would be diplomatlc difficulties about that course, and politically they would be open to attack by Governor Cox for proposing delay and long and unc5r- tain negotiations.
 GIVING FINAL TOUCHES
 The final touches are being given to Mir. Hardings Saturday speech. Charles l.. Hughes. ex-justice of the United States supreme court a stroiig League of Ma tions man, is here today. Later in the week will come ex-Senator Suteherland of Utah. formerly known as the leading law yer of the United $ ates Senate, a strong resery atonigt and Henry P, Davidson of J. P. Morgan & Co. head of the Amer ican Red Cross-in Europe, and strong league man. For he last day or TWO Col. George Harvey, editor of Harper's Weekly. who furnisred much of the am munition in the fight on Wilson last winter. has been with Senator Hardins. Colonel Harvey exists chiefly to see the league altered beyond recognition by its author Now. here is q curious cir cumstance It is officially said that all these gentlemen are nere presumably t1 discuss ''the League of Nations" with the candidate in View of his commg speech. 1t is not announced that they are here to discuss substitute for the League Of Nations, nor an association or nations, nor Senator Hardmss plan to prevent war but that they are here to discuss the League of Nations. That may not mean much, bur II is taken for what it is worth to confcn the guess that MT. Harding's plan is ;c enter the court Of the League of Nations. belng worked out with Mir Roots assistance, and not the council or assembly.
 To do tEis would be to obviate all the , republican objections to the league. It would be to dodge Article 10 and it's guar 1; aistse- Of Ftle terrtEocx of les hembers. with the possible obligation of using armed forces of this country in their sup- I ort, and to avoid the issue of impairing the sovereignty of this country by sub hitting, in measure to a foreign coun- cil, and it would provide ~necnanism for making war less likely by providing for delay and arbitration. The league issue has become the upper most issue of the campaign There is no question of the response which the demo- cratic candidate is receivilg from its presentation. Republican visitors to Ma rion from the west have told Senator Harding within the last few days that their only anxiety is in regard to the league They report the sentiment for the league, which has now become senti- ment for Cox, is strong in the colleges among school teaclers and among wom- en. They are looking forward with great speech, and they nope for a proposa, .rro,n him which can oe said to prevent war as effectively as tho League of Nations without raising all tie doubtful questions which the league aised. If Senate Hard
 ing should propose out and out substi tuition for the League O. Nations, Gov ernor Cox would attack it on lines which he has already indicated. He keeps say ing now in every sreeeh that any new as- socia tion of nation9 would require fong and doubtful negotiations. The European countries woulu be disinclined to abandon their present association to enter the new one suggested by the republican can