The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-28
NO SEMBLANCE
OF LEAGUE IN
HARDING PLAN
Gov ant and Central
Council Would Be Miss
ing, Say Officials.

The association OF nations sug-
gested by President Harding will
have little resemblance to the exist
/ ing league of nations. administration
officials pointed out last night,
II will have no written covenant
1t will hSve no central body to
write its will.
There will be no penalties provided
for violation Of its agreements.
II will depend on the moral forces
OF the world for its success in secur-
ing agreements among all nations.
1t will invite all nations. including
the central powers, and Russia.
when its government is made repre-
sentative. to attend conferences such
as now is in session in this city. At
tendance will be voluntary. and
there will be no suggestion that
failure to come is an affront to the
United States.
An6 the President and officials
with whom he has discussed the
suggested organization are confident
that IT would be a compelling moral
force in every section OF the world.
Delegates Talk Association.
With no sessions Of the armament
conference Sunday and only the eN-
perts engaged in debating any OF its
problems. the principal delegates
spent some time discussing among
the mselves just what formation OF
an association as suggested by Pres
ident Harding and his friends would
mean. They had the opinions OF
various administration officials to
help them. They agreed that to
make such an association legal un.
der rules of international law and
conduct would necsssitate treaty ac-
tion by the United States. And with
the treaty of Versailles in mind, and
the fate of the effort to have the
Omitted States one of the chief fac
tors in the league Of nations before
them, American officials very
frankly told their foreign friends
that no plan that had to he approved
by the Senate and carried even the
suggestion of an alliance could pre-
vail.
The chief development in Ameri-
can circles was the position OF op-
position to the plan Of the President
assumed by Senator William E
Borah. leader OF the Senate irrecon-
cilables.
ne ASSOCldllOn OF NHtlnnS.
said Mr.. Borah. "is another name
for the league of nations with some
additional and more extensive pow
ers annexed"
Borsh Fights Alliance.
Senator Borsh then made it very
plain that he will fight to the finish
in the Senate any attempt to bind
the United States in any form Of
foreign alliance. In this he will be
! Joined by other Senators. However.
officials who are actually in favor
of the general plan pointed out the
view that, so far as the original
suggestion was concerned. so long
as the conclusions of the present
conference are not made OF a char
acter that will require treaty oh
legations to be entered into there
is little that Congress can do 20
interfere.
In this connection there is in evil
dence here in Washington strong
support for the Harding position.
The general committee for the limi-
tation of armaments has taken
steps to unqualifiedly indorse the
suggestion of further conferences
to bring about stable world condi-
tions. Edward A. Filene. former
president OF the United States
Chamber of Commerce. and a mem
Der OF the geenrsl committee, said:
The question simply is shall we
use our great power to help stsbl-
lize the world or shall we use IL
in competition TO destroy prosperity
and prevent a return to normal con-
ditions. Guarantees of national Sc
curity must be given IL conditions
are to be brought back to normal"
Influence in Doubt.
But how influential such srgu-
ments will be on the Congress is
hard to say at this time Senator
Robert NJ. La Toilette, OF wis
consin, discussing the suggestion
that the program agreed on need
not be censidered by Congress, said:
Congress has the right to know
about any tie-ups or alliances for
this country. Eight hundred millions
in warships, for example. cannot be
destroyed unless Congress says so.
The Senate. of course. will not per-
NIT our going into any alliance or
combine on earth. because the
American people will not have II.
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