Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-14
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
ACCEPTED AS ISSUE
| EX-SENATOR HARDING
Willing, He Says. to Make Elec-
ton a National Referendum
on Subject.
ANSWERS cox CHALLENGE

Marion, Ohio, July l4.-The Republi-
can party's nominee for President, Sena-
tor Warren G.. Harding, has accepted the
challenge of the Democratic party to
make the League of Nations the para
mount issue of the campaign.
His willingness to make the election "a
national referendum" on the league ~
expressed in the following statement:
columbus dispatches describing the
conference between the Democratic nomi-
nccs for President and Vice President on
Monday, say that Governor Cox left 1T to
the Vice Presidential nominee to make
known the conclusions reached.
And, thus authorized to speak for
both Of them the Vice Presidential nomi-
nee stated that he considered tho League
of Nations one of the dominant issues OF
the campaign not only IN the East but
IN the West lie expected to make
hls campaign on the League of Nations
issue.
$50 We have complete proof that
President Wilson has won, and forced
acceptance of his paramount issue. The
party machinery has been taken over by
the Tammanyitcs of New York, New
Jersey and Indiana, but President Will
son has forced his issue on them. lie
has but ono concern. and that Is the
vindcation of his foreign policy, first
hy his party, later by the country.
The Democratic campaign harnesses
the party absolutely TO the Administra-
tion policy Of ratification with out pro-
lection 10 American interests. Should
the Democrats win, the league would be
ratified. and American would become at
nnce a party TO the twcnty-odd wars
now going on in the world. European
leaders have repeatedly explained that
q is impossible for the League of Ma
tons To function effectively so long as
the United States has not ratified. The
obvious implication is that when the
United States ratlties, the league will
proceed 20 settle up these matters: To
enforce its authority in the conflict be-
tween Poland and Russia, to settle the
Adr,at,c troubles, compe, peace between
Turkey and Greece, assume responsibility
for pacifcation of the whole Near East
and Middle East
"All this cannot be done unless the
league EMPLOYS force. America would
have to contribute its army and navy.
President Wilson has urged acceptance
of a mandate for Armenia, which the
lIarbor mission found would require us
20 use n great army and pour out money
bv hundreds of millions. Congress over
whemlnglv refused and the country has
sustained IL so insstently that even the
san Francisco convention did not dare
o. enforce the mandate. Yet that man
date would hardly be more than an inti-
nation Of the many world-flung con-
flicts into which America would be pro-
lectcd by ratification of league with
out rigid safeguarding reservations.
The President demands campaign
on tins issue: the Democratic platform
makes the issue paramount, and finally
the Democratic candidates unqualif
edlv acqulcsce. The score and more of
Democratic Senators who voted for
Lodge reservations are repudiated. The
real opinion of the American nation Is
tiouted because the President insists
upon his issue regardless of costs or
consequences. The Republican Party
and candidates gladly accept the chal-
lenge. We are more than willing to make
the election n national referendum on
the question whether we shall have four
wears more of Democratic readiness to
surrender this Rrpubllc"