Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-12-29
HARDING DISAVOWS
ALLIANCE CHARGE
Does Not Commit U. S. to Any
Armed Policy.
DEPRECATES TREATY ROW
Declares Differences Of Interpretation
Are, to His Mind, Unimportant-
Voice Throbs With Feeling as
He Replies to Critics.


Washington, Dee. 24.-His voice
throbbing with feeling, President
Harding replied to his senate critics
Of the four-power Pacific treaty. He
made two statements, one prepared,
the other extemporaneous. In the for
mer he declared:
Differing constructions are unim-
portant; no alliance or ENHANCEMENT
is thought of Or will be negotiated"
He challenged the "unjustified
charge" that the United States dele
gates are Withholding information
from him.
This important presidential state
ment was deemed to be necessary be-
cause Of the sensational divergence of
views between Mr.. Harding and the
four American delegates last Tuesday.
The President then said that in his
Interpretation of the treaty the Japa-
nese homeland Is not covered by ar
ticle 2. Previously Secretary Hughes
and Senator Lodge had made definite
statements to the contrary.
Sees Peace Progress.
In his extemporaneous speech, Pres
ident Harding made the following
points:
II believe with all my heart that
1921 has witnessed great progress to-
ward peace and understandings. In
this conference is found expression
for righteous adjustment Of disputes
without appeal to slaughter. Man.
kind has become wise enough to sit
down and talk whenever the peace Of
the world is menaced.
"If there were menace Of peace to
Japan, what objection could there be
to the United States sitting down. say
in New York, with our friends in the
Orient, and seeking way to avoid a
conflict?"
It was also learned at the White
house that President Harding does
not consider necessary a reservation
to the four-power treaty forbidding
the employment of force under it un-
less congress should so direct.
In this connection, the attitude OF
the President is that his record in the
senate answers the question; that it
Is inconceivable that any President
should think Of employing the military
forces Of the United States in warfare
except with the consent Of congress.
President Harding's prepared state
ment in part follows:
1.-THE President will offer no COM
ment on the disputes which attempt
to magnify the differing constructions
on the four-power treaty. To him
these are unimportant. The big things
aimed at are understandings for peace
and an agreement to meet and discuss
the preservation of peace whenever it
is threatened. No alliance or entangle-
ment is thought of, none will be nego-
tiated. 1t would be better to rejoice
over things accomplished than to
dwell on differing views which can be
of no great consequence.
Charges Unjustiffed.
'"The President is unwilling that the
unjustified charge that tho United
States delegates are Withholding In
formation shall go unchallenged. He
has full confidence, else he had not
chosen them. And he has full conf
d0nce now and Is more than gratif1ed
over their efforts, because they are
working out the greatest contribution
to peace and good will which has ever
marked the Christmas time in all the
Christian era.
"It is one thing to talk about the
ideals of peace, but the bigger thing is
to seek the actually. This the con-
ference is doing, in harmony with an
American sentiment,
and world sentiracnt, too, and in
full accord with cherished American
In an unprepared reply to ques-
ton regarding the League Of Nations,
President Harding said:
IT do not think that the league has
to do with the four-power
treaty or with anything else that Is
at this conference, except,
Of course. that the League of Nations
was manifestly inspired and organized
to promote peace and this conference
Is aimed in the same direction. There
Is no connection between the League
of Nations and fhn aims Of thiS CON.