The St. Joseph observer., 1921-05-14
PRESIDENT HARDING LIVES AND
LEARNS

LEARNS
As is the case with all wise men,
President Harding is living and learn
ing-and thorough American as he Is,
he is glad 50 to do.
The whole world knows that when
he was candidate for president, he
refused to admit that we had waged
war in behalf Of a noble and exalted
principle or that our sacrifices repre-
sented anything more lofty than q
sordid consideration Of self-intercst.
In a speech that he made at Wheel
ing. September IS, 1920. he said:
Il was not present when the senate
passed the war resolution. but know
what it conveyed, and we did not so
TO war to make the world safe for
democracy. We did not go to war
even for humanity's sake"
Being no longer under obligations
as a candidate to attack everything
that Mr.. Wilson said or did, Mr..
Harding is now speaking a different
language. In an address to the Dis
trict Of Columbia Bankers Associa-
ton Tuesday night the president ar
Eued eloqueutly IN favor of the res
toratiou Of leadership in world af-
fairs at is no boast" he said. III l
remind you that Americas place in
the world is as important at this time
as when the civilization Of the world
was threatened" which is the plea
that Woodrow Wilson made for two
years to deaf republican ears. The
president continued:
at is our part in the aftermath OF
the war to take our rightful place
among the sovereign nations Of the
world. l want America to stop and
turn it's face forward not only for
the achievements which we may bring
ourselves but also that we may play
our part in showing the world the
way to a righteous settlement"
Mr.. Hardmg's motives are praise
worthy indeed. Until the senate
wantonly rcpudiated the treaty Of
Versailles in order to play partisan
politics against President Wilson, the
United Stltes had its "rlghtful place
among TIE sovereign nations OF the
world" 1t was the moral leader OF
the world. When Mr.. Harding pleads
that it should "stop and turn its face
forward" he can have in mind only
1lc loss OF influence and prestige that
followed the policy that Henry Cabot
.ige devised and that the senate
f,-Iowed.
The way for the United states &c
.op and turn its face forward" i.
st to turn its back on the record OF
to Unit,d States senate ir foreign
.rrlirs during the last twn years.
ifter less than eight weeks IN the
y lite House Mr.. Harding Is evident
beginning to perceive some II tn,
0scquenccs OF senate politics in for
IN relations. The United States ha
] its leadership and is now compell
q, to regain the commanding position
it rccklessly abandoned. Th'
y ding administration is struggling
D complications that would not hav,
ted if the senate had ratified tn,
ty Of Versailles and kept tn
ed states in the councils OF tn,
.ons Even the reparaticns ques
wOu 4 have been settled long ago
Ir. II riding is now obliged to d.
usily from the outside what coul,
ve been done easily and expeditions
from the inside. Both the German
the French extremists lave bee
talking the rcfusa! OF the Unite
..es to adhere to the treaty. and III
psp2riiy OF the American r.ople
e. nked because Of the failure to sta
b.Ize economic conditions Ia Europ,
LIr. Harding contributed to the eS
ten, Of his vote in making the senat
record that is embarrassing his ad
min 'stration at every turn, but wis
man learns from his own mistake
ana the presidents desire to r,
establish the world leadership OF n
United States which his party abaI
dp1ed for local politics is a manife
talon Of the best kind Of patriotism
TREATIES SEED FOR FUTURE