The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-10-09
HARDING IN HOT
REPLY TO WILSON
Crowd of $4,000 Turns Out
to Hear Him Talk
at Kansas City

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
and impudcnt audacity' lie tells
the people that there is nothing in
the covenant which I'm the least In
tcrfcrcs with or impairs the right OF
,ongrcSs to declare war or not 20 de-
clare war according to its own In
dependent judgment az the consti-
lution provides. The fallacy of its
position has been exposed again and
again, Article 10, in words OF
utmost precision binds us to an oh.
uratiou which under certainly cas-
Uv foreseeahle circumstances will
require tho use Of armed forces. IL
Is true that the constitution invests
congress with the sole power 10 de-
clare war hut IL war should bccom,
Necessary IN order to fulfil this or
any other treaty provision. congress-
must either declare war or repudiato
tho obligation
Obligation absolute. Unqualified"
This obligation assumed by tho
sirnatories TO the covenant IL ahso-
'ufe and unqualified Whenever
certain specified circumstances arise
no matter how much we may re-
pret it. we would have to keep our
promise or sneak out of II. Let
no one he deceived; the choice
would be between two things-war
or dishonOr.
ARTICLE 10 is not only the most
dangerous provision In tho coven-
ant. but I'm It's sinister possibilities
II Is the most dangerous proposition
ever presented TO the American
people"
Senator Harding read the text OF
orticIp 10 and asked his audience TO
follow in a brief inquiry into its
meaning.
No Ambiguity There.
1--WE do not need 20 bring to bear
upon these words any fine process
es or logical analysis" Senator
Harding said Their meaning is
SO plain that he who runs may read
The obligation assumed Is as Tree
from ambiguity as writton promise
10 nay $50, thirty days after date
TO prescrve means TO defend and
gave, when ratified the obligation
becomes that OF the nation, not
merely the promise Of the president
ond the senate or congress. The
national honor will he pledged to II
MS Il is pledged to the performance
ot every treaty"
america will never countenance
the cynical doctrine that treaty
IS n mere scrap of paper am
plain, average man like most OF you,
lttle skilled in legal and diplomatic
intricacies, and | know of no way
TO keep a promise except to keep 1t.
Let us take an illustration. The
ranch neighbors, having adjusted
their respective boundaries, agree to
abide by the adjustment and stand
by one another against outside at
tack. What would any man OF hon
or think IL one OF them In the hour
OF the others need should refuse to
come TO his assistance upon the plea
that the agreement was not legally
enfOrcible?
I'VE do not need to imagine cases,
we have one Immediately in point.
Poland IL member of the league.
Poland was invaded by Russia, her
territorial integrity therefore No-
lated by external aggression, and the
precise case contemplated by Article
10 was presented TO Great Britain.
But England did not furnish aid to
Poland because a large body OF her
people believed II. |. for one, would
look with no satisfaction upon SINH
lar attention by my counuymen II
We were party to the league. II
we promise, we must keep the faith.
NnOOSc tbuT
THE case OF Poland may be re-
peated many times. Under this pro-
vision we shall no tonger be free TO
choose those who may be worthy OF
knightly service. We shall be
pledged to the preservation OF the
territory OF the despot as well as
the territory OF the weak and sore
besct. Our young men may be called
upon to die in unwilling justification
OF the rape of Shantung by assisting
Japan to repel Il Chinese invasion.
During the past 140 odd years
OF our national existence, there have
been many wars In Europe, some of
them falling within the precise con-
ditions set forth in Article 10. But
In all that time we have felt JUS
titled only In the one case OF the
late world war in sending our young
sons overseas to meet the tragedy of
battle. War is raging in Europe now.
l do not think anyone would favor
our participation 1 nthat warfare.
Surely 1t is equally important not to
bind the American people to COM
pact which may oblige them to par
ticipate in future wars which the
American conscience may or may
not approve"
Convention Hall is damned
Convention hail, seating $4,000
was packed long before the candi-
date appeared. hundreds standing In
the aisles. Police lines were broken
by those clamoring for admission
and a big block of seats reserved
for the reception committe was
taken by those without uckets
When Senator Harding came In
the crowd stood and cheered for
more than six minutes. Most of
those presen: werc provided with
small American flags, and the riot OF
noise mixed with riot Of flutter-ng
red, white and blue as they gave the
candidate their greeting. As the ap-
plause died down a grizzled civil war
veteran appear ed on the stage WaV-
ting the national colors and the crowd