Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-13
HARDING ADANDONS|
HIS IDEA To FORM
LEAGUE SUBSTITUTE.
Makes 1t Clear That U, S,
viii Not Enter Formal
Body Association" Only
Contemplated
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Oeased Wire Service TO The Journal)
DOWNRIGHT. 1921

Of forming an association of nations
as a substitute for the present
League of Nations.
The president makes 1t clear to
those who have made inquiries on the
subject that the United States will
associate with other nations in in
ternational enterprises and the dis
cussion of ways and means of pre-
serving peace, but as for a formal
body parallel to the Geneva league,
no such organization is contemplated.
This news may come as a surprise
to those who have been thinking
either in terms Of rival organiza-
ton to the Geneva league or an asso-
citation of nations in which formal
membership would be required. 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 ma
lions, the United States cannot bind
itself in any hard and fast organiza-
ton.
Mr. Harding makes a point Of just
how the propositions are used in
speaking of an association "of" ma
lions or an association with" ma
lions. He believes the coming con-
| ference no armament is an assoc1a-
| ton with other nations and there
fore satisfies to an. extent anyway
his campaign pledge. 1t will be re-
called that the whole controversy
ranged around the two little words
"the" and "a" Mr.. Harding said he
would never join the League Of
Nations. Men like former President
Taft and other pro-league Repubii-
cans were not discouraged but in
sisted that eventually 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 message to congress has turn
| ed his back on the present league.
In Accord With Platform
The latest development, however,
is his determination to turn away
with hard and fast rules and play
role of informal conference. with 9TH
err powers on vital matters without
committing America to any agree
ments unless they are ratified by the
senate. He would not stand aloof
but would associate with other pow
ers in endeavoring to settle world
problems-each case standing on it's
own bottom.
Mr.. Harding shows a tendency to
side with that school of thought
which always has maintained that
protocols and international agree
ments of all sorts which have hitherto
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 ratified by the SEN
ate" Feeling that way, of course, the
United States could never. in Mr..
Harding's opinion, enter into any in
ternational organization without con-
stantly having matters referred to
| Washington for decision in consulta-
ton with the senate.
To those who believe that Mr.
Harding in his campaign promised
| IAN" association 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 plank in the
| Republican national platform Of 1920.
The platform plank reads in part as
| follows:
"The Republican party stands for
serve the peace of the world We be-
lieve that such an international as
ISOLATION must be based upon inter-
national justice and must provide
| methods which shall maintain the
rule Of public right by the develop
ment of law and the decision of i'm
| partial courts, and which shall Sc
| cure instant and genertl international
conference whenever peace shall be
| threatened by political action so that
Io1o 70 n nd inc CT
upon what is just and fair may exer-
else their influence and power for
the prevention of war.
The Hague Tribunal
1--WE believe that all this can be
done without the compromise of ma
tional independence without depriv-
ing 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 without
involving them as participants, and
not as peace makers in multitude
of quarrels the merits of which they
are unable to judge ="
The foregoing platform plank is be-
ing interpreted by Mr.. Harding to
mean that as long as the United
threatening situation and confers
from time to time with other powers
whenever a grave crisis in world af-
fairs arises, America will be con-
forming o Republican party policy.
This was the view of Senator Knox,
when he proposed his famous para
graph five to the original resolution
declaring peace with Germany. The
paragraph 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 a means of caHing ma
lions into conference periodically for
discussion 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 president
believes in occasional conference and
constant association with other pow
ers for the good of the world. That's
as far as he wishes to go at present
irrespective Of whether the Geneva
league lives or dies.