The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-10-18

q fCSSD"HreSl0oub WUSO0
today asked SenatOr Harding,
Republican presidential noni.
nee, II he said In his speech at
Groenoastle, Ind, Saturday that
he had been sinfOrmally ap.
preached" by . spokesman OF
France who asked that AMeri.
ca lead the way In forming an
association Of nations.
The presidents inquiry was con-
tanned in a letter given out today
at the White house.
MY Dear Sir:
I'm the New York Times OF yes
terday, Sunday. Oct. II. 1920. hnd
a dispatch dated St. Louis. Oct. 16.
which purports to report recent
public utterances Of yours. In It
occurs the following:
Replying to criticism OF his
proposal for an association OF ma
tions, he said in a rear platform
speech at Greencastle. Ind, that he
already had been approached infor-
mally by a representative Of France
who asked that the United States
lead the way 20 world fraternity
Il write to ask II this Is q cor
rect quotation and IL you really said
what is there accredited to you.
need not point out to you the grave
and extraordinary inferences to be
drawn from such a statement,
namely, that the government Of
France, which is q member Of tho
League Of Nations approached pri-
vate citizens of a nation which ID
not member OF the league with .
request that the United States lead
the way to a world fraternitya Tia
department Of state has always
found the government OF France
most honorably mindful OF It's In
ternational obligations and punctil-
iously careful to observe all the
proprieties OF international inter-
course. l hesitate, therefore. to
draw the inference to which l have
referred unless l am assured by
you that you actually made this
statement.
"Very truly yours,
WOODROW WILSON"
The letter to Senator Harding
was given out without comment but
it was intimated that II Senator
Harding replied that he was cor
rectly quo.ed, there might be an
iOther letter or a statement based
upon Harding's speech, forthcom-
ing from the White house
Could Not Speak for France.
| Paris, Oct. lS.-United Press) -.
The French foreign Office said to-
day. new association of nations
may have been discussed by Sena.
tor Warren G. Harding and some
Frenchmen. The announcement.
said. however. il a Frenchman did
have such a conversation he was
not acting as a spokesman foy
France.
In his speech at Greencastle, Ind.
Saturday, Senator Harding said
} France had sent her spokesman t.
me Informally asking America Il
, lead the way for an association o.
nations"
Wilson Queries France.
, Washington. Oct. 1S.-Presiden
Wilson today directed inquiries I,
, both the French government ant
Senator Harding as to the Repub
. lican candidates recent statemen
, that he had been approached "in
, formally" by a representative g
. France and asked to lead in the for
!. nation of an association of nation.
The inquiry to Senator Harding
which was in the form OF lette
was made public at the Whit
house. At first officials there re
fused to deny or confirm that a
inquiry also had been sent to tn
French government but subsequent
, ly. Secretary Tumulty announce
tha. such action had been taken.
Harding Will Probably Reply.
Marion, Ohio, Oct. 1S.-Senato
Harding has declined since hi
, Greencastle speech to elaborate o
the statement that France has ser
: spokesman to him asking ths
y America take the lead in the forms
;. ton Of an association OF nation
Beyond repeating that the sugge.
n ton Vas made informally" th
= Republican nominee has indicate
ttha; he would not make public an
further particulars.
Onicials at Harding headquarte,
" said that President Wilson's inQuir
on the subject had not been n
ceived when it was made publ
: today in Washington. II was sal
: that a public reply probably woul
be made BY the senator as soon q
the message had reached him OH,
tally.