The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-12
HOPES FOR AN
ASSOCIATION
OF NATIONS DIE
Harding VIII Not En-
ter Any Formal
League.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright, 1921.
Especial to The Argus. }


Washington, Sept. 12-Presideut
Harding has abandoned any idea of
forming an association of nations
as a substitute for the present
League of Nations.
The president makes it clear to
those who have made inquiries on
the subject that the United States
will associate with other nations III
International enterprises and the
discussion of ways and means of
preserving peace but as for for
NAL body parallel to the Geneva
leag'le. no such organization is
contemplated.
This news may come as a sur
prise to those who have been think
ing either in terms of a rival organ
ization to the Geneva league or as
an association of nations in which
formal membership would be re-
quired. But the president has
evolved the theory that in order
TO be perfectly free at all times,
to approve or disapprove, to agree
or disagree with anything that may
be proposed by other nations, the
United States cannot bind itself in
any hard and fast organization.
with But Not "Of."
Mr.. Harding makes point of just
how the propositions are used in
speaking af an association of ma
tions or an association with" ma
tions. He believes the coming con-
ference on ornaments is an as
sociation with other nations and
therefore satisfies to an extent
any way his campaign pledge. 1t
will be recalled that the whole con-
troversy ranged around the two
little words the" and "a" MIR.
Harding said he would never join
the" league of nations. Men like
Former President Taft and other
pro-league Republicans were not
discouraged but insisted that event
ually Mr.. Harding would find that
in endeaVoring to form "a" league
of nations he would have to bring
the United States into the existing
league. The president in his mes
sages to congress- has turned his
back on the present league. The
latest development, however, is his
determination to turn away from all
sorts of permanent bodies with hard
and fast rules and play a role of
informal conference with other
powers on vital matters without
committing America to any agree
ments unless they are ratified by
the senate. He would not stand
aIoof but would associate with 9TH
er powers in endeavoring to settle
world problems-each case stand
ing on its own bottom.
Mr.. Harding shows tendency to
side with that school of thought
which has always maintained that
protocols and international agree
ments of all sorts which have hith-
erto been made by the executive
branch of the government, often
committing the United States by
Diplomatic notes to a policy that
might mean war, ought to be rati-
fed by the senate. Feeling that
way. of Course, the United States
could never in Mr.. Harding's opin--
ion enter into any international
organization without constantly
having matters referred to WASH
ington for decision in cousulta~
ton with the senate.
Quotes g.. o. r. Plank.
To those who believe that Mr..
Harding in his campaign promised
"an" association of nations similar
in general scope, though not lp
rules, to the Wilson league, the
answer is made that the president
nolicv as it is being evolved gradu-
aIIv is in absolute accord with the
plank in the Republican national
nlatform of 1920. The platform
! rlank reads in part as follows:
.The Republican party stands for
agreement among the nations 10
preserve the peace Of the world. we
believe that such an internatlonal