The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-20
With Other Editors
A Free Hand.
From Baltimore SUM-

With respect to American foreign policy
President Harding indicates spirit rather than
declares program. He is definite as to the
detectives to be sought, but indefinite except
in q negative way, as TO the exact method of
attaining them.
He would have guarantees Of peace through
international association; the meeting OF obi
cations that We owe to our allies in the war;
ratification OF the Versailles treaty minus
the covenant and aid in enforcing it; an adop-
ton OF peace resolution but without any at
tached declaration Of general policy; and some
sort Of gathering for the negotiation Of a cove
nant not based on super-state principles OF
creating a body on which is laid the police
duty OF enforcing the terms Of . particular
treaty.
But what he would include in the new in
strument he avoids declaring. To his mind it
would seem, it should center in codifcation
Of general rights in the manner of the Hague
convention rather than in a political alliance.
but how far he would go in charging inter
national law and giving 1t new sanctions he
does not say. The policy he is contending for
now, 1t would be observed. is that avowed two
years ago in the famous senatorial round-robin
namely, that the peace treaty was one thing
and covenant another thing, and that the
two should not be confined In one document or
be written by the same conference.
The senate and people having Joined, as the
president CONSTITUTES events, in favor Of a repa-
ration. he would carry out their will. He
would ratify the treaty proper by dovetailins
with it the Knox resolution and then devise
the other agreement independently.
Every day the cable bring news Of its aetivi-
ties in various directions, the doings Of its
| secretariat its disarmament commission its
commission on mandatories its international
transit commission. its International health Of
| dee. its treaty registration section, ETC. An
immense amount Of work has been done By
| these various branches of its organisation
More than forty Of the nations of the world
are members Of this league. All Of the great
| powers with the exception Of the United States
Russia and Germany are members. Does Mr.
Harding's action imply an invitation to these
nations to scrap the league which they have
formed and abandon the work it is doing much
Of which is prescribed BY the Versailles treaty!
Or does his assertion that there is kind OF
association which the United States would
heartily Join mean that We will enter the exist.
ing league If few of its covenant provisions
are altered and its name is changed?
We must still wait, as We have long been
waiting for an answer to these questions. For
the present the evident satisfaction Of Senator
Borah and other foes of any and all associa-
lions of nations over Mr. Hardings utterance
Is disquieting., If their Interpretation Of it is
correct, then We have repudiated our allies in
the war and there win Be great rejoicing in
Germany. But it may yet turn out that their
| Interpretation Is not correct and that Mr.
| Hughes and Mr.. Hoover and the other - sign
! srs Of the document OF Oct II wore not fooled.
In brief, the presidents message throws little
new light on the administrations permanent
| foreign policy.
In his message the president says some
sound things about economy and the budget
But We must remember that with 80 per cont
Of the nations revenues being spent in pay
ment for past wars and preparation for future
ones there can Be no appfeciable relief from
the burden Of taxation except through q reduc.
ton in ornaments. On that question the pres
ident observes that prudence forbids that ve
! disarm alone, and agencies for defense vii
not be discarded until the need for defense ID
removed. So there 10 no immediats hope for q
ssdnofioa In taxatioa.