The Washington herald., 1920-12-16
FALL BELIEVES
U.S.. WILL YET
LEAD LEAGUE
"IrrecOncilable" Senator
Sees Harding on Marion
Visit.
BOTH MEN AGREE
ON WORLD PACT
Even Europe Agrees That
Treaty Must Be Modi-
fed, He Says.
By SAMUEL w. BELL.

MARION, Ohio, Dec. 15.-Presi-
dent--elect Harding't belief that the
United States can find a place in
world aairs, oven to the point of as
suming leadership, without submer-
sence Of the nations independence
of action in the treaty and covenant
of Versailles, was further strength
oned today as the result of a con-
ference with Senator Fall of New
Mexico, known as an irreconcilable:
Senator Fall, who is bitterly op-
posed to the terms Of the treaty
and to any phase of the covenant of
the league which smacks of a super
government by an International
council possessing executive and
Legislative functions, was himself
authority for the assertion that he
and Senator Harding found them
selves in more or less accord on the
international situation.
That statement, made in the pres
ence of the President-elect may be
regarded as not without Significance
in connection with the recent visits
to Marion of Charles Evans Hughes,
Herbert Hoover, and Elihu Root.
pro-leaguers who believe some good
can be salvaged from the league
covenant and made workable for the
purposes of the United States and
the rest of the world.
Compromise Idea Firm.
The statements of Mr.. Hughes and
Mr.. Root. taken together with the
very positive assertions of Senator
FallFall today. give immediate in
sight, not only to the general pur-
pose of Mr.. Harding's big job of
reconciliation of factions but forces
the conclusion that he firmly be-
lieves he will bring about a COM
promise to which both sides can
subscribe.
There is no doubt that the Presi-
dent-elect Is closer to the position
represented by Senator Fall. A re-
capitulation of the speeches of the
campaign testifies forcibly to that.
However. II is apparently believed
that no workable plan for the asso-
citation of nations can succeed with
out a practical world court for the
settlement of justiciable questions.
Even the bitter-enders, perhaps
with the single exception of Sena-
tor Borah of Idaho, do not oppose
American participation in a genuine
court of international law, such as
Elihu Root assisted in framing and
which has been adopted by the
council and assembly OF the league
of nations.
Senator Falls conference with the
President elect. and the New Mexi-
cans subsequent talk with the
newspapermen. also was illuminat-
. frer M
pointed out the unanimity of opin-
ion which seems to exist regarding
the provisions of the peace treaty
itself. He believes 1t is a bad treaty.
and that view apparently Is shared
by so-caHed pro-leaguer, middle
grounder and bitter-ender alike.
Senator Fall said fatty today that
he did not believe the treaty could
endure unmodified, and ventured the
opinion that Europe already see tha.
! it must be altered. In any event
Senator Fall-and there is n rea-
son to believe that hts view in this
regard is not at one with Senator
Harding = says the United States
cannot subscribe to a treaty ID
which it has no interest.
He went even farther, and de-
clared that European statesmen,
rapidly realizing the absolute i'm.
possibility of working out the treaty
provisions, particularly as they af-
feet Germany, would turn to the
United States to take the lead in
Offering a new plan or pointing
solution.
Predicts Real Peace Conference.
Without hesitation, Senator Fall
predicted that the real peace con-
ference would be held in Washing
ton, because Europe was universally
agreed that America should take the
lead. The conference, he said, would
be suggested by European statesmen
themselves. He said this to empha-
size his view that it was nonsensical
to think that the United States
would have seek a separate peace
with ermany in the event the Hard
ing administration carried out its
promised program of formal peace
for the United States by Congress.
sional resolution.
Senator Fall dropped into Marion
enroute to New Mexico for the
Christmas holidays.
I'VE talked of everything bur
Mexico" was the comment of both
men after the conference, and then
explained that the Mexican prob
lem. upon which Senator Fall is an
expert, was discussed at length
during Senator Harding's recent
visit to Washington.
Copyright. 1890. Public Ledger co..