Evening star., 1920-11-20
HARDING ADVISERS
DIFFER ON LEAGUE
Three Shades of Thought
Likely to Enter Into Par
Ieys at Marion.
BY n. o. MESSENGER.

Pending the approach of the day
December 1O-when President-elect
Harding is to begin his conferences
with men representing 'the leading
thought of the country" on the league
of nations, there is speculation as to
the personnel of the prospective
gatherings.
The men who are to be invited to
the conferences may be said to repEs-
sent three shades of thought on the
league question, are easily Segregated
by groups and the leaders of thought
of each particular group Identified.
The kinds of advice Their will give
the prospective chief executive of the
nation will differ materially and
positive to negative action.
May Call in Hitchcock.
First off the reel he has invited
Elihu Root, to be followed soon by
William H. Taft. OF the same group
it Is assumed by the statesmen-poli-
ticians that he will ask DR.. Jacob
Gould Schurman, Herbert Hoover, and
iif he desires bipartisan counsel.
Senator Hitchcock, the ranking demo-
crat Of the foreign relations commit
tee. These men are presumed to be
favorable to constructing an associa-
tion ofsnations on the basis of the ex-
isting league of nations, by proc
ess of elimination Of Objectionable
features, az pronounced by the judg-
ment of the country last election
day; and by adding clarifying pro-
visions.
1t will be recalled that Elihu Root
cabied from The Hague last August,
in reply to question addressed him
from Marion. that 'fn my opinion a
new deal here from the beginning by
abandoning the Versailles treaty is
| impossible. To attempt it would
bring chaos and an entire loss of re-
suits of the war and general disaster
involving the United States"
No Indication Of Change.
Mr.. Root has said nothing since his
return from Europe to indicate
changed opinion, and it is presumed
| that President-elect Harding in in
viting him first to the conference de-
| sires to have him set forth in detail
declared.
| Mr. Taft believes that it will be
| wisest to take the existing covenant
| as the steel skeleton of the new
| league. He has at last become rec
onciled to dropping out what Presi-
the arch-article X. and with this
elimination thinks that something
| durable can be constructed which,
! the United States can enter with
safety.
Knox In Second Group.
/ The second group includes men
! who would discard the Versailles
| covenant entirely. and begin anew an
association of nations. built from
! the ground up on American lines. At
| the head of this element is Senator
| Knox of Pennsylvania. and with him
i such men as Senator New of Indiana,
| Senator Frelinghuysep OF New Jer-
| York.
| The third group-and look out for
| the sparks to fly-comprise the ir-
| reconcilables. Senator Hiram johnson
! of California. Senator borah OF Idaho.
and Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin.
| leading the republicans. and Senator
Reed of Missouri. speaking for his
! following Of democrats. These men
| viii insist that the verdict at the
polls spelled anathema upon the
! league and all it's works.
! The burning question among poll.
| ticians is how far will Senators John
son and Borah go If their advice is
decides to go ahead with either a new
| association or a league built upon
the pending covenant. Will they bolt
| the party and advocate setting up
| new party Will d OF stick
| BY the policy of Washington and
Monroe" as their slogan?
! Where Ii Senator Lodgef
! And where is Senator Lodge, chair
man Of the committee on foreign rela-
tions, in all these confabulations? the
politicians are asking. To be quite
J frank, they have difficulty in placing
I the Massachusetts, senator. It is taken
J for granted that the chairman Of the
| committee on foreign relations will
not be omitted from the councils of
! the mighty, but they are at sea as to
what he will advocate.
! He is on record, of course as favor
ing the existing covenant. with the
| reservations adopted by the Senate
| which bear his name. But it can be
/ stated without intent Of offending
that there is deep-rooted suspicion in
| the minds of many that Senator Lodge
| at heart is against a league of ma
tions. or. to put it more diplomatical-
| " and get farther away from sug-
! gesting motive. that the covenant
with reservations was an alternative,
the lesser OF two evils, and that he
did not shed tear when the treaty
failed Of ratification.