Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-13

lowered, Mr.. Harding asked that |
Congress investigate the whole trans |
portation problem. He recommend
| ed coordination of all government /
agencies dealing with former servie
men. strengthening of the Federi
laws affecting highway constructs
and maintenance, enactment of bud
get legislation. and a congressona
| inquiry into lynching and race rea
tons in general.
| Mr.. Harding's definite starl
against the league covenant was not |
a surprise to the Republican Leaders
of the Senate, although the exact
wording of the declaration was an
, unsettled question until shortly betr
the executive left for the capitol yE
deliver his address. The first dzs
of the manuscript was completa
soon after midnight and when TN /
proof sheets came from the pubs {
printer this morning the presided
cancelled the regular Tuesday cab I
I met meeting and summoned Re. /
| publican members of the foreign re- :
! lations committee to the Whh /
| House.
In conference with the commits
members, the president considered /
the foreign relations section Of The +
address for more than an hour, hear. /
I ing the advice of mild reservation. /
| lists as well as irreconcilables beton
finally putting his manuscript into hs /
pocket for the ride to the capital
Without exception the senaton
present expressed afterward then
| satisfaction with the presdents|
views, though there was a wide DR.
| vergence of views among them re. |
garding the likelihood of an early rat. |
! ffcation of the Versailles treaty with |
the League of other portions omitted
| 1t was pointed out that the treaty
was not now before the Senate. hat
ing been returned to the White Hous
after the second failure to raitfy n
and that Mr.. Harding had shown no
indication that he meant to re-suc
nit it in the near future.
In his address today he did not sps
officially declare his intention to d'I
so, merely saying that in referenr
to separate treaties with German
| and Austria. "the wiser course would
seem to be the acceptance of the con-
f1rmation of our rights and interess
as already provided and to engage
I under the existing treaty, assuming
of course, that this can be satisfac
torily accomplished by explicit
reservations"
BY some senators the words OF the
president were taken to mean ina!
his mind still was open on the ques
ton of reserved ratification and thai
he merely suggested that course
PREFERABLE to a separate peace. TIC
point stressed by him in that con-
nection and emphasized recently
I other administration quarters, was
that the United States must find some
way to reach a diplomatic agreement
with both Germany and the Alhes
which would fully protect such 40.
vantages as this government gainea
under the unratified pact of Yer
saiIles.
In his endorsement Of the peace de'
ciaration the president expressed dis
approval of the proposal of some sen
ators to attach to the declaration
general expression Of the American
governments policy toward futurs
European wars. This proposal ns'
taken various forms, but the amenu'
ment most favored in recent discus
sion would declare that if European
peace and civilization again WEI,
threatened the United States woun
regard it a menace to it's own sale'
and would take steps to prevent
world catastrophe.
Senator Knox, Republican. Penn
sylvania. author of the peace resoa
ton to be urged by the Repubnca,,
leaders. indicated tonight that ne va
in agreement with the president 81
would oppose the policy declaration
Mr.. Harding gave Congress no
position of his views on the 1oin.
ton Of association of natlV sis
. merely renewing in his address
pledge to. work for such an organ'ss
ton with all the diplomatic
available