The Penn's Grove record., 1921-03-11
President Harding's Inaugural

President HardmgS inaugural
The Inauguration of Warren G.
Harding, President, last FRIDAY, in
W ashington, ID. T., was as impressive
as a funeral. There Demg no paraue
or martial music the American spirit
IN the star Spangled Banner, America
and the baIUle CIy oil the hepubIlc
was missing. The spirit OF progress
ana even sJand-patlsm vas lacking.
The IeacJionary spirit prevailed and
was tie spirit N the inaugural adj
dress in his going back to 1871 for his
inspiration, at the end OF George
WashingCon's administration.
The Republican party was BORN IN
the spirit OF Progress in 1886, and
made the Nation a World Power in
1898, but Mr.. Hardings inaugural
contains no spirit Of progress, and
does not size up inc parUys history.
Like his campaign speeches, the
inaugural address Is composed OF pom
derous platitudes with double ended
meaning. Different sentences and
separate paragraphs may be and are
interpreted different ways. Persons
and Powers to seek favors and pres
tige commend it and give %iattering
a~pprovals. Those who favor progress
and maintaining National prestige
acquired in the World War can find
little encouragement in the address.
Some of the utterances are as fol-
lows:
We seek no part in directing the
destinies of the Old World.
We do not mean to be entangled.
We will accept no responsibility eX-
cept as our own conscience and judg-
ment in each instance may determine.
America can be a party to no per-
manent military alliance.
1t car enter into no political COM
mitments, nor assume any economic
obligations or subject our decisions to
any other than our own authority.
A world super-government is con-
trary to everything we cherish, and
can have no sanction by u republic.
The above bellies the spirit in every
treaty made the past 100 years.
These assertions are untranslatable
into anything lacking the full signifi-
canoe they palpably bear. With them,
however, are to be read the affirma-
tive and constructive passages:
Our eyes never will be blind to a
developing menace, u ears never
deaf to the call of civilization. We
recognize the new order in the world,
with the closer contacts which prog
ress has wrought.
We are ready to associate ourselves
with the nations, great and small, for
conference, for counsel, to seek the
expressed views of world opinion, to
recommend a way to approximate dis
armament. We elect to participate in
suggesting plans for meditation, con-
ciliation and arbitration. We would
gladly join to clarity and write the
laws of international relationship, and
establish a world court for the dispo-
sition of such justiciable questions as
nations are agreed to submit thereto.
X = \ But every commitment must
be made in the exercise of our national
sovereignty.
America is ready to encourage,
eager to initiate, anxious to p%artici-
pate in any seemly program likely
to lessen the probability of war. We
aspire to a high place in the moral
leadership of civilization.
The paramount thought may be put
in this paragraph:
I'VE must understand that ties of
trade find nations in closest intimacy
and none may receive except as he
gives. We have not strengthened ours
in accordance with our resources OF
our genius, notably on our con
tinent, where a galaxy of republics re-
feet the glory of new world democ-
TacV. but in the new order of finance
and trade we mean to promote en-
larged activities and seek expanded
confidence"
Interpreted, that really means q
return to dollar diplomacy" Prin.
ciples go no further than one can see
a dollar profit. Nothing is intimateC
about allegiance to the Allies anC
principles fought for in the World
War.
President Harding also says: "Man.
kind needs a benediction of under
standing"
AS no political genius nor himself
has made his understanding clear We
must wait for the one great politica
magician to make his own i~nterpreta
ton understood by his actions. The!
will be worldwide welcomed and give
much political enlightenment, if there
arrives big profits.
All wait with confident expecta
lions in every American home. I'm.
doubtedly as soon as he receives thu
revelations from the Senate] he will
impart it.