The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-03-15
PRESIDENT WILL CALL
A COUNCIL OF ALLIES
BACKS SCHEME WORKED OUT
WITH HUGHES, FALL, BRY-
AN TAFT AND OTHERS.
WILL CONSIDER DISARMAMENT
Secretary Hughes Will Arrange Con-
ferences. Harding's open Gate"
Order Draws Big Crowds to the
White House Lawns.

|
Order Draws Big Crowds to the
White House Lawns.
WASHINGTON, D. C.-President
Harding, having studiously avoided all
contact with representatives OF foreign
powers since last June, when he be-
came the standard bearer of the re-
publican party, is now ready for Sc
ries of important conferences with the
ambassadors of Great Britain and
France and other allied powers.
1t is understood to be the intention
of the president to lay before these
representatives of the existing league
of nations his scheme for an associa-
ton of nations for world conference
which would support the international
court of justice This plan was work
ed out by Mr.. Harding in broad de-
tail at the meeting OF minds in Marion
after his return from his Florida va
cation.
Three members of Mr. Harding's
cabinet participated in the conferences,
Charles Evans Hughes, Herbert {.
Hoover and Albert B. Fall. William
Jennings Bryan, long a supporter OF
world peace plans, and former Presi-
dent William Howard TAFT, leading
spirit in the League to Enforce Peace,
both played important roles in the
front perth discussion.
Hughes to Arrange Conferences.
1t will be one of the first tasks OF
Secretary of State Hughes to arrange
the conferences with the allied ambas-
sailors, in which Mr.. Hughes, OF
course, will take. part. Sir Auckland
Geddes has but recently returned from
England with what are understood to
be broad powers to arrange an inter-
national conference on the subject OF
disarmament. President Harding has
said that he is anxious to have taken
suitable steps leading to an agreement
for approximate disarmament. But he
has also made it very clear that he
believes the true way to disarmament
! is by way of his association OF ma
tions plan Until that scheme has been
considered by the powers Mr.. Harding
| is unlikely to take seriously any pro-
posals for restriction of military pow
| eT.
The conferences at Marion were Sc
riously handicapped because OF Mr..
! Harding's stern insistence that It
would be unbecoming to consult with
representatives of foreign powers at
that time. AT all times he was intense
ly conscious of the letter written to
! him by Woodrow Wilson during the
election campaign calling his attention
to the serious improperly OF diplo-
matte discussions relating to the tor-
eign policy of the United States when
carried on by private citizens and rep
resentatives of foreign powers. Mr..
! Wilson's communication was written
after he had read newspaper reports
of Mr.. Hardings rear platform speech
at Green Castle, Ind, in which he was
quoted as saying that France has sent
her emissary" to talk about the pro-
posed association OF nations.
In his reply to that note Mr.. Hard
ing, after pointing out that as a mem
Der of the senate foreign relations
committee and the candidate of one of
the major parties he was hardly to be
classed as a private citizen, said that
he had not meant to imply that France
officially had sent any one to see him.
Spared Wilson Embarrassment.
Thereafter Mr.. Harding and his
staff took extreme care that he had
no conferences with any one that
might be construed by unfriendly
critics as conferences with representa-
tives of foreign powers. Frequently he
has said that he avoided such contacts
through desire to spare Mr.. Wilson
needless embarrassment.
There is no longer need for such
precautions, however, and President
Harding is understood to be eager for
searching discussions with allied am
bassadors to learn their countries
views regarding the Harding concept
OF the kind of society of nations in
which the United States of America
can participate.
Throughout the afternoon the lawn
before the north portico suggested
Central Park on a Sunday afternoon,
in striking contrast to its deserted ap-
pearance during the last four years.
Grouped before the portico were about
200 persons curiously cycling the top
hated men and fashionably clad wo-
men who left cards at the door.
Flivvers were just as frequent as
more expensive machines in the line
of cars that rolled up the drive through
the west gate and out the east gate.
There were no restrictions on these
sighteseers.
The editor of The Marion Star new
er believed in "verboten" signs on
public grounds nor does the new pres