The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-09-12
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Dispatch to The Reformer0
CoDyrirht 1921


substitute for the present league of ma
tions
The President makes it clear to those
who have made inquiries on the sub
ject that the United States Will asso-
ciate with other nations in interna
tional enterprises and the discussion of
ways and means of preserving peace,
but as for formal body parallel to the
Geneva league, no such organization is
Contemplated.
This news may come as surprise to
those who have been thinking either IN
terms OF a rival organization to the Ge-
heEa league or as an association OF ma
ions III which formal membership
y ould be required. But the President
has evolved the theory that in order
TO be perfectly free at all times, to APP
prove or disapprovc, to agree or disagree
with ANYTHING that may be proposed by
other nations, the United States can
not bind itself in any hard and fast or
ganizatiOn.
Propositions and Articles
Mr. Harding makes a point of just
how the propositions are used in speak
ing of an association .'of' nations
an association "with'' nations. He be
iieves the coming conference on arma
ment is an association with other ma
tionS and therefore satisfies to an eX
tent anyway, his campaign pledge. 1t
will be recalled that the whole contro-
versy ranged around the two littl
words the and "a Mr. Hardin
said he would never join the leagu
of nations. Men like former PrCsiden
Taft and other pro league Republican
were not discouraged, but insisted tina
eventually Mr. Harding would find that
i'll cndeavoring to form "a league of
nations he would have to bring the
United states into the existing league
The President in his messages to con
gress has turned his back on the pres
emit league. The latest development,
however, Is his determination to turn
away from all sorts of permanent bo-
dies with hard and fast rules and play
a role of Interference with other DOW
ers on vital matters without commit
ting America to any agreements unless
they are ratified by the senate He
would not stand aloof but would assO
ciatc with other powers in endeavoring
TO settle world problems-each one
standing on its own bottom.
Mr.. Harding shows a tendency to side
with that school of thought which has
always maintained that protocols and
international agreements of all sorts
which have hitherto been made by the
executive branch of the government
often committing the united States by
diplomatic notes to 4 policy that might
mean war, ought to be ratified by the
senate. Feeling that way. of course. the
United States could never in Mr. Hard
ing opinion enter into any interna
tiOnal organization without constantly
having matters referred to Washington
for decision in consultation with the
senate.
In Accord With Platform
To those who believe that Mr.. Hard
ing in his campaign promised ian as
sociation of nations similar in general
scope, though not in rules, to the VII
son league, the answer is made tina
the President = policy as it is being
evolved gradually Is in absolute accord
with the plank in the Republican ma
tional platform of 1890. The platform
plank reads in part as follows:
The Republican party stands 70
agreement among the nations to pre-
serve the peace of the world. We he
lieve that such an international asso
citation must be based upon inteTna-
tIOnal justice and must provide methods
which shall maintain the rule OF public
right by the DEVELOPMENT of law and the
decision of impartial courts and which
shall secure instant and general inter
national conference whenever peace
shall be threatened bv political action
so that the nations pledged to do and
insist upon what Is Just and fair may
exercise their influence and power for
the prevention of war.
"We believe that all this can be done
without the compromise of national in
dependence. without depriving the PED
ple of the United States in advance of
the right to determine for themselves
what Is Just ard fair when the occasion
arises. and without involving them "a
partiCiDants. and not as peacemakcrs in
multitude of quarrels the merits ST
which they are unable to Judge
Mr.. Harding's Interpretation
The foregoing platform plank is be-
ing Interpreted by Mr. Harding to mean
that as long as the United States ten
ders it's good effects i'm any threatening
situation and confers from time to time
with other powers whenever grave
crisis in world affairs arises. America
will be conforming to Republican party
Motley This was the view of Senator
Knox when be proposed his famous par
aCraph FIVE to tile original resolution
paragraph was withdrawn so as not to
provoke AN eXtraEeous discussion
about future policv, but the idea is
firmly In Mr. Harding mud. SO also
Is the plan to revive the Hague tribu-
nal as means of calling nations into
conference periodically for discussion OF
international problems.
Of one thing. the world NAV he GER
tain-there is to be no formal thing to
be known as the Harding association OF
| natians. The President believes in occa =
Sional conference and constant associa-
| ton with other mowers for the good of
the world. That : as far as he wishes
| TO go Mt present. irrespective of whether
| the Geneva league lives or dies.
The Inca. warriors, prior to the Spa
| ish conquest. used to decorate the sad
dies of their horses with the heads