Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-04-28
THE PRESIDENT
..t AND THE WORLD


gram of fulfilment. That is the
outstanding fact, writ large in ev-
cry line, recognized and testified
to with unprecedented unanimity by
commentators, both critics and eulo-
gists, of all parties and in every
quarter of the land. That is true
of it in a triple sense. 1t aims at
fulfilment of the Presidents own
promises, both as a candidate and as
the President-elect; of the policies
adopted upon great consideration,
by the officially representative lead
ers of the Presidents own party;
and of the unmistakable will of the
American nation.
1t is not surprising, though it is
none the less gratifying and inspir-
ing, to find the President in his first
address to Congress most unmistak-
ably indicating his purpose to keep
faith in letter and in spirit.
This purpose is demonstrated in
both the form and the substance of
his address. 1t is shown in the form
in his giving first and chief atten-
tion to our domestic interests, on
the impregnable ground that we
cannot profitably participate in the
task of regulating the affairs of
other nations or of the world en-
masse until we have set our own
house in order. Ut is shown in sub
stance most strikingly, perhaps, in
his treatment of foreign affairs,
which have hitherto been the sub
ject of most controversy and of most
promises. We have no doubt that
the average listener waited with
most impatient eagerness to hear
what the President would say about
the League of Nations, the making
of peace with Germany, and our
policy toward the Treaty of YER
sailles, and that the average reader
turned first of all to those closing
paragraphs of the text in which
those subjects were discussed. And
it was only human nature that
some, probably. were curious to see
if he would confirm his former very
exact declarations, or. would reveal
some modification of them, some
change of purpose due to actual as
sumption of official responsibility
or to some influences which after
election circumstances and consider
ations might have exerted upon him.
Plain and clear, however, was it,
and is it, that there has been in his
mind and purpose no variation nor
shadow of turning from the sound,
sane and patriotic utterances of last
year, which were so Overwhelmingly
ratified by the national mandate.
What he now says is in general and
in detail faithful enlargement up
on and fulfilment of his campaign
declarations, and especially Of his
memorable address of August last.
What he said as candidate, he
repats and confirms in his official
recommendations to the Congress of
the nation.
First Of all, he unequivocally re-
jects the covenant of the League of
Nations, declaring that in the league
as ii now exists, with its assumption
of super-powers and world-govern-
ment, this republic will have no
part. That was what he said in
that famous Des Moines speech last
summer; and that was what the
American people voted for in No
vember by seven millions majority
He sets forth, too, concisely, the
reasons for the Reputation of the
league, which are precisely the rea-
sons which he formerly expressed
and which moved the American cleo
torate in its great and solemn ref
erendum. We can have, he says,
no committal to an agency OF force
in unknown contingencies. We can
recognize no super-state authority
And then the President performs
a notable service, never before sc
well done, in pointing out the es-
sential and fatal mischief of that
Interviewing of the Covenant of the
League with the Treaty of Peace in
which his predecessor greatly ex.
ulted as the browning achievement
of his Vaccinations, and to which
indeed President Wilson's utmost
efforts were from the first directed.
Subsequent and current events have
demonstrated the disastrous effect
Of that arrangement upon the
treaty. President Harding reminds
us that its effect upon the League
was no less evil. The highest pur-
pose of the League was defeated in
advance by that illogical and I'M
natural combination. Nothing could
be more incongruous than to make
an international association for
peace and good will the political in
strument and enforcing agency OF
victorious nations in exacting the
results of war; or than to derive
from the hostile and militant pas
sions of the present the hope of the
future peace. Therefore it is that
the President counsels first the
making of peace and the disposition
of the issues of the late war, by the
nations which have been beligerent;
and after that, the inviting of the
whole world to establish basis of
enduring peace.
Just as unequivocally, then, as he
rejects the discredited League, the
President stands for an association
of nations based not upon super
state force but upon justice and
right; seeking to settle information
al disputes not by political dicker-
ing or military force but by impair
tial arbitration or the application Of
international law. Such an asso-
citation must be an instrument of
universal justice, not of politics or
Of the selfish aims of any group Of
nations: binding us in conference
and cooperation for. the prevention
of war and pointing the way to a
higher civilization and international
fraternity" This contrast between
the present politico-military League
and real league for peace and JUS
tice was, it will be recalled, the key
note of Mr.. Harding's speech OF Au-
gust last, in which, as a candidate
for the suffrages of the people, he
outlined the policy which he would
pursue IL he were elected. 1t is pre-
cisely the self-same note, only II
possible fuller, stronger and more
vibrant, which dominates that part
of his first Presidential message.
He refers pertinently to the need
of our making fachnicallY the naaca