Evening star., 1921-09-10
President Would Meet Ma
tions on World Questions
Without Formal Body.
SENATE CONCURRENCE
CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL
Mr.. Harding Believes All Agree
ments Which Might Mean War
Should Be First O. KID.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
President Harding has abandoned
any idea of forming an association
of nations as 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 in
international enterprises and the dis
cussion of ways and means of pre-
serving peace, but as for a formal
no such organization is contem-
plated.
President Wants u. s. Free.
This news may come as surprise
to those who have been thinking
either in terms of a rival organization
to the Geneva league or as an asso-
membership would be required. But
the President has evolved the theory
that in order to be perfectly free
at all times to approve or disap-
thing that may be proposed by other
nations, the United States cannot
bind itself in any hard and fast or
ganizatiOn.
f1dTulHS IldheS d polHt VI JUS
how the propositions are used In
speaking of an association off ma
tions or an association with" nations
He believes the coming conference on
armament is an association with otheI
nations and therefore satisfies to an
extent, anyway. his campaign please
1t will be recalled that the, whole
controversy ranged around the two
little words 1.-The" and "a" Mr.. Hard
ing said he would never join the
league of nations. Men like former
President Taft and other league
republicans were not discoura geo out
insisted that eventually Mr.. Harding
would find that in endeavoring 10
form "a league of nations he woulo
have to bring the United states lhto
the existing league. The President II,
his message to Congress has tuTren q
his back on the present LEAGUE: ts ny
latest development. however. is ms
determination to turn away from an
sorts of permanent bodies with hard
and fast rules and play role OF IN
formal conference with other powers
ON vital matters without committihe
America to any agreements u"'1a ~
thew were ratified by the Senate. lie
would not stand aloof, but would as
sociate with other powers in endeav-
orjng to settle world problems-eaci'
case standing on it's own bottom.
Relieves in Senate Concurrence.
Mr.. Harding shows a tendency to sue
with that school of thought which mas
always maintained that protocols ana
international agreements OF All SORTS
which, have hitherto been made by the
executive branch of the government
often committing the United States by
Giplomatic notes to policy tnat mlsh'
mean war. ought to be ratined py the
Senate. Feeling that way, OF course
the United States could never, in Mr..
II
national organization without constant
ly having matters referred to Washing
ton for decision in consultation with the
Senate.
Those who believe that Mr.. Harding
in his campaign, promised AN assocla- :
ton of nations similar in general scope,
though not in rules. to the wilson
league the answer is made that the
Presidents policy as it is being evolved
gradually is in absolute accord with the
form of 1920. The platform plank reads
in part as follows:
stood for Peace Agreements.
"The republican party stands for
agreement among the nations to pre-
serve the peace of the world. we
believe that such an international
association must be based upon m
ternational justice and must provide
methods which shall maintain the
rule Oh pubic rlSHI ny ing S1oP
ment of law and the decision OF I'M
partial courts and which shall Sc
cure instant and general Information :
al confere nee whenever peace shall
be threatened by political action so
that the nations pledged to do and
insist upon what is just and fair may
exercise their influence and power for
the prevention of war.
I'VE believe that all this can be
done without the compromise of ma
tional independence, without deprivine
the people of the United States in
advance of the right to determine for
themselves what is just and fair
when the occasion arises and with
out involving them as participants,
and not as peace makers in multi
tude of quarrels the merits of which
they are unable to judge
Would Revive Hague Tribunal.
The foregoing platform plank is
being interpreted by Mr.. Harding to
States tenders it's good offices in any
threatening situation and confers
from time to time with other powers
whenever a grave crisis in world af-
fairs arises, America will be conform
ing to republican, party policy. This
was the view of Senator Knox when
he proposed his famous paragraph
five to the original resolution declar-
ing peace with Germany. The para
graph was withdrawn SO as not to
provoke an extraneous discussion
about future policy, but the idea is
firmly in Mr.. Harding's mind. So also
is the plan to revive The Hague
tribunal as means Of calling nations
into conference periodically for dis
cussion of international problems.
OF one thing, the world may be
certain-there is to be no formal
thing to be Known as the Harding
association of nations. The Presi-
dent believes in, occasional conference
and constant association with other
powers for the good of the world
That's as far as he wishes to go al
present, irrespective of whether the
Geneva league lives or dies.
Copyright. 1921