The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1920-09-17
SECUAITY AT HOME
Harding Defines Position On
The League.


warren G. Harding, Republican nomi-
nee for President, in speech delivered
"a a delegation from Indiana which
called on him here to pledge the sup
nort Of Indiana Republicans, declared
that twice President Wilson had an op-
nortunity to obtain ratification of the
LEAGUE of Nations covenant, and that
he put ratification aside because he
would not accept reservations designed
solely to safeguard American rights.
Senator Harding said:
81 greet you in spirit of rejoicing;
not rejoicing In the narrow personal
or partisan sense, not in the gratifying
prospects of party triumph; not in the
contemplation OF abundance In the har-
vest fields and ripening corn fields and
maturing orchards; not In the reassur
Ing approach of stability after period
Of wiggling and wobbling which mag
nifed our uncersainty-though all Of
these are ample for our wide rejoicing
but | rejoice that America is still
free and independent and in position
Of self reliance and holds to the right
Of self determination, which are price
less possessions in the present turbu-
lence of the world.
Let us suppose the Senate had rati-
ned the peace treaty containing the
League covenant as submitted to 1t
by the President in July of last year,
what would be the situation confront
ing our common country today? To
my mind there Ia but one answer Be-
fore this day we would have been
called upon to fulfill the obligations
which we had assumed under Article
10 Of the League covenant to preserve
the territorial integrity of Poland as
against external aggression.
I" Il shall not now attempt to measure
the boundless sympathy for the just
aspirations and restored independence
OF Poland. Our present concern is the
International situation which Poland
has brought to our attention.
"The council OF the League of Ma
tions would have reasoned, and rea-
could furnish the munitions and, If
necessary, the men to withstand the
hordes advancing from Russia far
more easily than could the exhausted
nations Of Europe. Moreover, inasmuch
as this would be the first test of the
scheme of world government which
was formulated and demanded by the
PRESIDENT, speaking for the United
states, the fact of a special responsi-
pillty, resting upon our shoulders.
manifestly would have been undeniable.
Undoubtedly the League Council, in
advising upon the means by which the
obligations to Poland should be full
niled, as provided in the covenant,
would have so held, and probably the
conscience OF America, certainly the
opinion of the world, would have sus-
tanned that Judgment.
The conclusion that our country
might now be confronted by such sit
uation, II the Senate had ratified the
League covenant, requires no stretch
OF the imagination. None can deny
mat 1t is possible. To many candid
minds, as to my own, such a distress
ing situation will seem highly probable.
Let US assume that the ratification had
taken place. Let us assume. further,
lhst the performance of the allotted
TASK required the waging of war upon
the Russian people, as, of course, it
would, what would result; what would
CT necessity have to result? Nothing
necessarily, we are glibly informed,
since only the Congress can declare
war, and the Congress might reject the
appeal of the executive, but would the
congress do that? Could the Congress
GO that without staining indelibly the
nonor Of the nation?
answer No. and l say 1t not on
my own authority alone. Back of my
Judgment stands the President of the
United States. Upon that point there
H first hand information. In the
course of the discussion which took
pace at the meeting of the President
ana the Senate Committee on Foreign
relations l raised the. question by stat
ing hypoth .ical case precisely anal
ogous to that which l have depicted
and then inquired whether we might
rot rightfully be regarded as perfidl
Gus people II we should fail to contrib
Ute an armed force II called upon t.
do 30. The President hrst replied, al
thought, somewhat evasively, that VIC
would be our own judges as to whether
We were obliged in those circumstances
act in that way or not. Pressed
- however. in response to query