The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-01-09
Journal Representative Has In
terview With President
Elect at Marion.
WANTS LEAGUE SOLUTION
Harding is Open-Minded on
Americas Participation in
World Affairs.
(RY Il. N. RIckEY.l


MARION, o.. Jan. Sit was my
privilege to give to President-elect
Harding the first personal report OF
the meeting of the League of Nations
Assembly hold at Geneva, Switzerland,
would be interested in getting the in
from Nov. IS to Dec. IS.
Believing that the president-elect
side facts as to the assembly meeting
from the first man TO return to Amer
lea from Geneva. advised him of my
return and received a prompt and cor
dial invitation to come to Marion.
The interview. or conference, or
whatever it may be called, lasted up
ward of an hour.
Harding asked me to give him an
outline of the workings OF the ma
chinery of the assembly.
He interrupted frequently with ques-
tions which indicated his keen inter-
est in the more important phases OF
the assembly activities, especially
those phases which had even the most
indirect bearing upon any possible fu-
ture relationship between the United
States and the European nations.
J am not at liberty to intimate what
views were expressed by Harding.
But it is quite within the proprieties
to say that the president-elect con-
yinced me of his earnest desire to meet
and solve the vital question of the re-
- A ,n,-fna md a
rest of the world at the earliest possi-
BILE time after he is inaugurated.
And further there is no doubt that
Harding realizes that America cannot.
IL she would, evade the responsibility
of world leadership which is hers by
reason OF her financial, industrial and
potential military power.
/ frankly told Harding that ! con-
Cured in the opinion of the great ma
tority of those who attended the Gen
eva meeting that the league was very
much alive, but that its ability to live
and function depended to very great
extent upon what the 2ttitude OF
America was to be.
/ also told him that in my opinion
the nations composing the league were
so impressed by the necessity of hav-
ing America in, that they would agree
TO practically any change suggested
by America in the league covenant,
whether these changes were in the
form of reservations or amendments,
providing always that America did not
demand that the league be abandoned
entirely and something else substi-
tuted for lit.
This, as I explained to Harding,
would involve such practical difficult
ties because of treaty arrangements
based ON the present covenant and
such a humiliating admission by the
other nations of their dependence on
America, that it did not seem to me
within the realm of practical states
manship
| was careful to explain to the pres
ident-elect that would not presume to
advance this as a mere personal opin-
ion, but that 1t was the result of many
talks l had at Geneva with the lead
ing statesmen of many of the nations.
Harding, who by the way, is one of
the best listeners l have ever met,
showed intense interest in my report
and Interpretation of world conditions
as manifested at the Geneva assembly.
Such remarks as he made indicated
that, Notwithstanding the multiplicity
of his duties. he has been following ev-
cry development of the world situa-
tion very closely.
And not only has he been following
it closely he has also been working
out in his mind plan for the partic-
ipation by America in world affairs
which, when finally formulated, will
be made public for thought and dis
cussion by the people of the nation.