The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-01
PRESIDENT STARTSI TEMPEST BY WORLD. ASSOCIATION PLAN
"Bitter EnderS" Can See No Difference Between Hard ing Proposal and Wilson
 League
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau. The Age-Herald 800 Davidson Buiidinx.


 Washington, November 30.-(Spe- cial.) Hardings sugges- tion that the great powers of the world permanently cooperate in be- half of perennial peace, has precipi- tated a tempest, and 1t remains to be seen whether it's proportions will be commensurate with that of the pro- vel bial teapot.
 The administration permits. if it does not suggest. the conclusion that the proposed organization would be no organization at all in that it would not have even a written agree- ment to hold together it's component parts. At the same time the so- called "bitter-enders," respecting the League of Nations covenant, can see no clearly Wefinite distinction between the "entangling alliance" as proposed by Woodrow Wilson and the "en- tangling alliance" as proposed by Warren G. Harding. Senators Shields of Tennessee, Reed of Missouri, Wat son of Georgia, Borah of Idaho and LaFollette of Wisconsin have satu as much in authorized interviews.
 "BacL Door, Prediction Recalled
 Democrats, in respect to the dis comforture of those administration republicans who destroyed the cove nant of the League of Nations, but in all probability would support any thing that Harding might send to Congress, refer to the prediction or former Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby, expressed during the presi- dential campaign last fall, He de- elared that eventually the United States would join the League of Nations, and that it all depended on antarad boldly, through the front door, or later skulked like a lackey through the rear.
 singularly significant editorial bearing on this subject. appears to- day5fn the Washington Herald, singu- larly significant because 1t is gem orally understood that the newspaper Is controlled by Secretary Hoover. The editorial is headed: By the Back Door," It's first and second para graphs follow:
 Washington HernId's View
 .It is semi mi-officially stated that an association of nations will develop from the present conference on arm ament It is even said with llke dl- rectness that President Harding will be disappointed if this is not the re- suit However that may be, there
 
 conference is the direct compulsory result of the refusal of this govern ment to be a part of the present league or association of nations, ana it therefore may well form back door to that organization.
 Moreover, if this conference was not to be that back door, 1t should never have been called, as 1t has from the first been so evidently makeshift, and was certain to prove that practical results with lasting CT feet could only come from perma- nent organization practically as lh- elusive as the league. The closer the conference gets to the detalieu plan of even naval armament agree rent. the more evident it Is that IL n,nst include all nations to prevent fraud. suspicion or evasion. 1t must also have permanent organization to assure it's fulfllment, with the rlght of investigation and report, when means succeeding sessions at regular | Intervals"
 Lacking in Position President Harding has merely sus rested. He has had said nothing AS matter of fact. he is as lacking m ncsitiye utterance or position as It was charged he was during the cam | paign. a.v,
 There Is no question that as soon i as Congress reconvenes, some deIno- cratic senator will call on President Harding to explain himself wlthoue | ecuivocation: to state whether ne means League-~~of Nations witn "teeth" to carry out any agreement reached by the Washington confer ence. or a simple oral agreement binding on no nation unless that na- ma lion be willing. and permanently will ffrg, to be bound.