Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-11-08
GHOST OF
LEAGUE AT
BIG MEET
] Delegates Coming Pre-
pared to Discuss
Plans That Would
1T Harding's Idea
BY ]. Bart Campbell.

Washingson, Nov. 5 8.Senate
'irreconcilables' are convinced
that the league Of nations will
prove the Banquo's ghost at the
ornament limitations conference.
Their fears and alarms have
been increased by confidential ad-
Vices they have received from
overseas that the British, French
aHd Italian delegates to the con-
ference will come fully prepared
~ discuss changes In the league
cnnvenant which would make II
fif In with President Harding's
idea OF an association Of nations. /"
Senator Borah fR.) OF Idaho.
rhief spokesman Of the senate eIe-
ment whose watchword IL "No
enfangling foreign alliances" is OF
Abe opinion that, economically and
financially, the United States Is
being slowly and secretly eased
into the league. It is known at
4 the capitol that 1t was chiefly un-
der British and French pressure
that the recent Geneva convention
of the league carefully sidesteped
the moot question Of world disarm-
Rment. It was decided to await
Developments at the Washington
eppference.
This, In Borah's judgment. was
IN line with the avowed policy ef
1he British and French govern
ments to have the league wait on
the Washington conference before
attempting to dispose of the major
world problems confronting the
former
1t is no new thing for the
british and French to be anxious
40 make concessions to the Ameri-
can government II the United
States were willing to be drawn
into league modified in accord
ance with American ideas.
Will President Lisfeng
The nub Of the situation is. Of
course, how far the president
wonld listen to the pro-Ieague sug-
Eeations Of Secretary OF State
Hughes and Secretary OF Com-I
nlarce Hoover, or how far the pres
idRnt would be able to persuade
the senate to agree to a modified
league covenant.
Another determining factor OIL
the situation Is the historic fact
that former President Wilson
promised much at the Versailles
conference, but was able TO per-
form nothing when he returned
home and found the senate stand
ing In the way OF the entry OF the
United States into the league.
But Mr.. Wilson's party was in
The minority In the senate. Presi-
dent Harding's party is not. al
though II does not command the
fwosthirds vote essential to the
ratification OF treaty OF an inter-
national agreement. President
Harding's influence with most
republican senators Is an open
aneation where foreign relations
are involved. He was, however,
able TO win nearly all of them
nnd even some Of those ''irrecon-
cilably'' opposed 20 the league. like
Johnson OF California, and Bran
ileEee OF Conneetciut---ove 70 rati-
fication OF the German. Austrian
and Hungarian treaties. TheyI
split on the Borah proposal for
free tolls for American coastwise
vessels using the Panama canal, al
though warned by Senator Lodge
that there were Compelling rea-
sons" why the administration did
not favor Il on the eve OF the
armament limitation conference.
Underwood Favored Treaties.
Senator Underwood of Alabama,
the senate minority leader, sup
ported the German, Austrian and
Hungarian treaties. but he was
to line up many democraticI
senators for them. How far his