Evening star., 1921-01-04
BEST MINDS At SEA
OVER ASSOCIATION
HARDING PROMISED
Interpretation of Single Word
May Decide International
Relationship.
CORRECT Definition
DISCUSSED AT MARION
Senator's Reed and Knox and Viii
liam ]. Bryan Give Views
to President Elect.

liam ]. Bryan Give Views
to President Elect.
BY ROBERT r. SMALL.
MARION, Ohio, January As the
conferences of best minds continue
here at Marion, it is becoming quite
apparent that much Of the success or
failure Of the plans Senator Harding
may have in mind as to the future in
ternational relationship of the United
States will depend upon the interpre-
tation Of single word.
what Is an "association"? Some of
our best minds are decidedly at odds
as to the correct definition. and are
pressing their conflicting views upon
the President-e1ect. The difficulty of
the situation arises out of the fact
that Senator Harding promised in his
campaign speeches he would do his
best. att the earliest possibl date, to
bring about a new association" of
nations to replace the Geneva league
of nations, upon which he definitely
turned his back at Des Moines at a
supposedly critical moment Of the
presidential contest.
Senator Harding still is old fash
ioned enough to believe that cam
paign promises should be carried out
SO far as it is humanity possible to
do so. Certainly he feels this ought
to be done where the promises were
80 definite and personal as he made
them. Platform promises. Of course.
are quite something else again-sort
of relics of prehistoric age.
Too Near Present League.
In his purpose to carry out the prom.
ise Of a new association of nations. a
handful Of the bitter end irreconcil-
ables at Washington see too close an
approach to the idea Of the present
league of nations, and q handful Of
irreconcilables. 1t has been proved in
the past can stir up a powerful rum
pus In the Senate. These irreconcii-
ables say they will oppose with all
their might any attempt to set up
what might be called an organic as
ISOLATION or league of nations. regard
less of how much Of the Objectionable
matter in the so-called Wilson league
bitter enders. or battalion Of DEATH"
will stand for nothing that smacks
OF an international, governing body
no matter how nebulous the govern.
ting power may be.
thrse e sss ~ .t v.n a.s
help Warren Harding when he reaches
the White House They want to see
the republican administration Sue
cess Of course, this does not fefer
to the democratic irreeOncilab1es. In
this conhection. and there are likely
suspects. .
Wants Smooth S4fIinE.
Senator Harding naturally would like
to be. assuredtof smooth sailing for his
plan when he launches It in the Sen.
ate. He knows what happens to plans
when there is no smooth sailing. Mr.,
Harding is convinced he can easily
satisfy those republicans who favored
going INTO the present league Of ma
tions with proper reservations, but the
hopes he held q fortnight ago that the
irreconcilables who were about to fall
in line appear to have been a bit shat
tered Of late. Such irreconcflables as
Senator'S Fall and New are 80 friendly
to Mr: Harding and such strict party
Senator Reed. tho democratic irrecon-
cilables would be as easy to handle.
This has not proved the case.
The irreconcilables are amenable to
reason. however, to the extent that
they are willing to help Warren Hard
association" may mean many things.
Senator Reed, the democratic fFrecon-
cflable. broke the ground in this re-
spect when he told Senator Harding
some time ago that he considered the
exchange of ambassadors and ministers
between nations as constituting an as
socia.ion Of nations. William JENNINGS
Bryan told Mr.. Harding he considered
that the thirty-odd nations bound to-
gether in the arbitration treaties he
negotiated a. Secretary Of State con-
stitnted an association of nations,
Body OF Nations Unnecessary.
And more recently has come Sena-
tor Knox, a real leader of the opposi-
tfon to a league of nations, to point
out to Senator Harding that 1t is not
necessary to set up a body Of the ma
tions in order to have an "associa-
tion" Of nations. Mr.. Knox's words
have great weight with the President
elect. He argued convincingly II
would seem that the United States
should go no farther than to make q
declaration Of policy that the world
peace again being threatened as ii
was in 1914, the United States would
cooperate with the friends of civili-
cation for the defense of that civili-
declaration Of such a policy, follow
ed by similar declarations from other
nations, would constitute an associa-
tion of nations. The binding power of
such an association. would be just as
II 1t were written on parchment and
decorated with signatures and seal
ing wax. II 1t can be gathered from
all Of this that Senator Harding is
much perplexed as to just which way
he eventually shall turn, the reader
has a very good idea Of the situation
ae 1t exists today at Marion.
Copyright, 1921