Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-29
Harding lets Cat Out Of the bag

= EFORE a large audience in the Balti-
= more Armory Monday, Senator Hard
ing let the cat out Of the bag" concern
ing his attitude toward the league of ma
tons. 1t came out as the result of ques-
ton fired by a man in the gallery. want
ing to know whether the speaker had
"scrapped' the league and whether he
stands Tor Senator Johnson in his position.
The Republican nominee, pursuing his
customary tactics tried to wrigge out of
answering the query by definitely defining
his position. He invited the man in the
gallery to meet him on the platform and
debate the merits of the league. This chal-
lengc. of course. was not accepted by the
questioner. and with his Maryland Demo-
cratic blood stirred up by the attempt at
evasion, he insisted on definite answer.
Thus driven into a corner, the embar-
raised Senator realized that he must toe
the mark" that he was not facing Il dele
cation OF admiring supporters on his front
porch at Marion, and must needs save his
face by a supreme effort, or else confess
the game of duplicity he has been attempt
ing to palm off on the public ever since
his speech accepting the nomination. Then,
out came the cat from the wallet!
II am perfectly frank to say to you"
explained the wabbly candidate, that I
am without a single program constructive
III character, about an association of ma
tons do know this one thing definitely,
however: the Democratic nominee for
President says he's in favor of going into
the league as it was fashioned at Versailles.
I'm not i'll favor Of going into that league.
When I'm elected President the first thing
III do is TO find plan for an association
OF nations behind which all America will
stand"
There you have it! The candidate nomi-
mated by the senatorial oligarchy, composed
of members who in common with nearly
the entire Republican Senate membership
including himself. voted in favor OF ratify-
ing the league with reservations, declared
by them to be not destructive Of it's essen
tial integrity, not only repudiates that posi-
ton, but rejects the league plan as whole
scraps II bodily and tells the American
people that if he is elected President this
country will not be permitted to enter the
league.
Nor did he stop with this shameful
avowal, contcmptuous in its manner Of ig-
noring American sentiment whose support
OF the league Of nations is outstanding in
public expression, OF a set purpose to undo
everything that had been accomplished at
the Versailles peace conference, thus in
wiling general world chaos; but he went
further in deliberately insulting public in
telllgence by shamcfacedly confessins that.
while he favors plan for an association
OF nations" he was without a single pro-
gram. constructive in character, for bring
ing into existence such an association.
In other words. he boldly avows that all
he and the Republican party stands for is
misunderstanding have nothing whatever
to offer in the way OF constructive pro-
gram in respect 10 the chief issue before
the people in the pending national cam
paign. They have hoistcd the black flag
and II is death to the league, to which vir-
tually all the nations Of the earth except
the United States. Germany Turkey Rus
STA and Mexico have declared their adhcr-
cnce. and under whose operation. handi-
capped Hs il has been by the failure of the
United States TO enter, order is being grad
ually brought 10 a world desolated by more
than four years OF cruel warfare. Can you
beat il?