The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-22
TAFT We. HARDING.


presldent--or for anything else. for tina,
matter--and were announcing your poll
cleJ in public speeches from day TO day
And suppose the most conspicuous
member Of your party, while assuring
yol. OF his intention to vote for you,
was just as regularly commenting on
| your speeches and showing that you
did not know what you were talking
about. Wouldn't that jar you? How
/ much would you appreciate such sup
port as that7 Would you-could YOU
J fee grateful for III How would you
explain the situation TO the public? But,
| you say, that is an academic question
o. questions. Not at all. We have In
| this quaint way illustrated what is GO
ing on in the present campaign. There
Is nothing imaginary about IT, The 'ran-
didate In the hypothesis is Warren q.
Harding. The other character IL Will
liam Howard Taft Referring to Whit
his candidate has had to say on the
treaty issue. Mr.. Taft declares, in part
He proposes the joint resolution de-
claring at an end the present prepostsr-
Gus condition OF a technical war; He
sayF that this Is merely formal recog-
milton of an obvious fact Unquestion-
ably when actual peace exists through
acquiescence by tho parties to the war
COZ gress can add TO the evidence OF
such peace by an authoritative decla-
ration of II. and can, for domestic pur-
poses, end every legal power or liability
dependent on the continuance Of war.
But by such declaration II cannot Inn
pose on Germany any obligations In
reference to peace adjustment to which
she does not affirmatively consent. The
proposed resolution provides that II shall
not be a waiver OF any rights or priv
ileges the United States Is granted
under the treaty of Versailles. Now no
one would contend that such q saving
clause gave the United States those
rights and privileges We can secure
them only by a separate treaty with
Germany or by ratifying the treaty Of
Versailles. We need them in order to
begin proper relations Of amity and
business with Germany. Mr.. Harding
says he has no expectation Of finding
II necessary or desirable to negotiate
q separate treaty with Germany. II
not. then he must look TO the treaty Of
Versailles for those rights and priv
ileges: and he can only secure them
by becoming a party TO IT,"
This IL what we should call pinning
Mr.. Harding down TO the question
mailing him to the cross, so to speak.
Mr.. Taft makes It clear that there is
no way OF whipping the devil around the
stump. II Mr.. Harding is not going to
negotiate n separate treaty with Ger
many, he must perforce accept the
treaty OF Versailles, league OF nations
and all. in some form, or abandon all
demands against Germany. Sneering
will not remove the obvious fact.
Regarding Mr.. Hardlng's proposal to
reJuvenate the old Hague tribunal. put
teeth in It and substitute It for the
league OF nations. Mr.. Taft reminds
him that the leagues permanent court
OF international justice Is much to be
preferred. He says It 'is far better
adapted 10 the purpose which Mr..
has in mind than The Hague
tribunal. Il is far easier to put teeth
irto IL: and this IL what Mr.. Harding
~ opposes expressly to do.f The great
advantage OF the league court over the
old Hague tribunal, ns seen by Mr..
Taft, IL that ut furnishes a practical
plan for permanent court Of con-
stantly serving judges which In salts
factory to the smaller nations. The
objection OF the smaller nations has
heretofore wrecked any plan for such a
permanent court. The Hague tribunal,
with its purely voluntary jurisdiction
and voluntary selection OF Judges, con-
tRlns no solution OF the difficulty. Mr..
Harding does not object TO n nonjudicial
conference on nonjusticiable questions.
On the contrary. he insists on ~. This
Is what we have In the league now by
submission OF such questions TO the
council or the assembly This partic-
uIar feature OF the league called out
frcm Mr.. Root his highest commenda-
tior in his nrst discussion OF the
league" r
Good sense every word Of II. Both
Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Root win be gladly
among those who are giving
reasons why Cox and not
Harding should be elected. Mr.. Taft
makes short work OF the vague sugges-
ton of some other sort of association
OF nations to take the place OF the
lonEue. mo one," says Mr., Taft. 'cnn
suppose that the principal allied powers
will consent TO new association or
league when the old one is part OF the |
treaty OF Versailles; and II would be
foolish for Mr. Harding to insist on this
when only through a ratification OF the |
treaty can he make secure our rights |
and privileges against Germany"
That IL exactly the position OF Gov. |
Cox. He insists that we must accept |
Tho treaty and league in some form
ana he Is not very contentous--or no |
!. alone. We cannot cooperate with |
the world in promoting peace and un-
II we operate under one |
plan and the balance Of the world under |
and altogether different plan. 1t |
does not require a statesman or a sem