The Washington herald., 1920-09-13
Harding Speech Makes Taft
See G.O.P.Victory, and Hope
OfLeague With Reservations

Of the league to preserve TERRITORY
or independence OF another.
Correction Is Needed.
Senator Harding's other criticism
of the league is directed against
the enforced submission Of justIci-
able disputes between nations to the
council or assembly for decision
and recommendation OF settlement
This feature OF the league. many Of
its strongest friends have thought
ought to be amended as soon as the
league was organized. The plans Of
the League to Enforce Peace. Of Gen
Smuts and the English commission.
contained court to decide justiCi-
able questions: but Mr.. Wilson OBJ
jeCted TO an obligatory court So
in the present league there is pro-
vision for a court: but its jurisdic-
tion when organized IS made to
depend upon the consent Of the
parties. The court which The Root
PhilIimore commission has recon-
mended. therefore. is not tr0 0bunal
to which all justiciabIc questions
are. as a matter Of league obligation
to be submitted by the parties: and
! it will not be such a court unless
and until the league is amended as
is ought to be
Harding Prefers Hague Tribunal.
Harding prefers The Hague tribu-
nal as tho proper court: hut the
RoOt-Phillimorc court is far better
adapted 20 the purpose which he
has in mind than The Hague tribu-
nal. 1t is far easier to put teeth
into It; and this is what Harding
proposes expressly to do. He wishes
to confer on the court power which
the league will uphold to compel
nations to submit their justiciabIc
differences to its jurisdiction and
to abide by its jud-monts The pres
ent league Of nations secures sub
mission to the league council or
assembly to hear and recommend
settlement or all disputes by a
covenant Of every nation not to be-
gin war before submission or until
5 months after a decision: and not
then If the decision is complied
with. The covenant is enforced by
universal boycott by all the mem
bers OF the league against any
nation breaking its covenant. At
the same time. any nation interested
in enforcing the decision may then
begin war for the purpose against
the defaulting nation. We can
hardly suppose that Senator Hard
ing would wish more teeth than this.
Sees Entrance Into League.
Senator Harding's proposals as
sure our entrance into the league.
For ha =
plan? He proposed the joint res
olutiOn declaring at an end the
present preposterous condition of a
technical war" He says that this
is merely formal recognition of
an obvious fact" Unquestionably
when actual peace exists through
acquiescence by the parties to the
war Congress can add to the evil
dence of such peace by an authori-
tative declaration OF it. and can.
for domestic purposes. end every
legal powe ror liability dependent
on the continuance OF war. But by
such a declaration il cannot impose
on Germany and obligations in ref
erence to peace adjustment to
which she does not affirmstively
consent. The proposed resolution
provides that it shall not be
waiver of any rights or privileges
the United States is granted Under
the treaty of Versailles Now no
one would contend that such saw
ing clause gave the United States
those rights and privileges. We can
secure them only by a separate
treaty with Germany or by ratiry-
ing the treat of Versailles. We
need them in order to begin proper
relations of amity and business
with Germany Mr.. Harding say-
he has no expectation OF finding IN
necessary or desirable to negotiate
separate treaty with Germany.
II not. then he must look to the
treaty of Versailles for those rights
and privileges; and he can only Sc
cure them by becoming party to it.
Wants International Court.
We have a right TO infer from
what Mr. Harding says, therefore.
that he proposes to approach the
principal and allied associate powers
Great Britain. France, Italy. and
Japan, now members of the league
OF nations-and to ask them to
amend the league by striking out
or modifying Article y; by other
wise qualifying its provisions to
give general effect to the other chief
Republican reservations and by
providing an obligatory interns-