Evening star., 1920-10-21
HARDING REVIEWS
CHALLENGE ON PACT
POSITION CHANGE
Easy for Man Who Is Ito
Lose" to Say Anything, He
Declares at Rochester.
By the Associated Press.


ROCHESTER,, N. Y, October IL
Making his first speech of the cam
paign in New York state. Senator
Harding again challenged his demo-
cratic opponents here today to show
by his public utterances where he has
changed his position on the league of
nations since he accepted the repub-
hcan nomination.
Restating his stand. he declared the
nation cannot take seriously the
democratic insistence that the cove
nant shall be considered for,-accept-
ance as it stands" ana added that for
such a rejection" he had stood un-
failingly.
He also asserted that he had ia
! vored consistently an international
association in the interest of peace,
but could not, under present contli-
tions, frame a definite and specific
plan.
Not That Kind OF Candidate.
Il am not that kind of a candidate" :"
he continued. TT is easy enough for
a candidate who is going to lose to
say almost anything about league of
nations or any future plans for
America.
The democratic forces have para
mounted the solemn referendum of our
foreign relations and we have gladly
accepted. but that does not blind rs to
| the fact that it is designed to divert
! attention from the unhappy failure of
| domestic administration The great and
| solemn referendum will not make the
American people forget the tragic mis-
cause they have long since passed tudg-
| ment on our foreign relations.
! Not to Be Taken seriously.
! Surely the American people cannot
take seriously the democratic insistence
that the Paris covenant shall still be
! considered, as platform and candidates
insist, for acceptance as it stands. Such
a rejection has been twice recorded. I
have repeatedly spoken such rejection
from the day Of accepting my nomina-
| ton with unfailing consistency
But l have never stopped there. I
challenge contradiction, 1 invite any
mans parallel Of utterances which are
that we wish to associate with other
nations to end war and promote and
preserve peace.
! Other Nations Wiser.
1.-The other nations of the world are
wiser than our political opponents. They
have accepted the fact that there is nc
hope of uniting Americans, or even a
very SUDSlitllld( 1ulnOr1ty, OCQlnO tuS lIIl
possible proposal that we should accept
the covenant as written. The foreign
nations have set their faces to the fu-
ture So must America, so must every
friend of the new and better order.
'If I believed in attempting to express
the purpose of the American people be-
fore being clothed with authority to
consult them, if I desired to dictate to
foreign nations, it would be possible for
me to suggest new league. and say to
the nations of the earth and to my
native countrymen: Take this or take
nothing But l am not that kind Of a
candidate.
/ "No man in my position, with any
console nee whatever, or any sense OF his
responsibilities, could have the effrontry
or the lack of craftsmanship which
would allow him to present a plan which
might have to be revised because OF
the happenings in a rapid flow Of events
or because the public opinion of America
had not been consulted sufficiently.
4 Hypothetical Question.
'1 trust that it will not be improper
for US to consider as hypothetical
question where the country would
find itself in regard to the league OF
elected. The very latest conner in
politics knows very well that it is nu.
merically impossible for my opponent
to obtain, whether from his party OF
from mine, enough votes III tHe senate
to make good his program or even re-
motely approach success in making
good his program.
How Is it possible to take serious
ly, then, this frantic effort to diver
our attention from that chaos in oul
home affairs into which the demo.
cratic experiment has led US? 1t ha.
been my duty. therefore. to present &
constructive program which will pu
our house in order. I say to you, 81
that there shall be nothing vague mol
indefinite about the difference be
, tween ourselves and our opponents
they have set their faces backward
upon purposes which have failed
which have snarled our affairs anc
entangled our prospects, and endan
gered our prosperity, and even men.
aced our right to call our American
souls and minds and bodies our own
The republican party and America
with an idealism which limits itsell
1 Eonttnued an Page 2 Column -