Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-04-12
Declares For Peace BY Congress
sional Resolution and In
dulges In Platitdues In
Message To Congress
(By Associated Press)


congress Today declares for peace
by congressional resolution anC
turns his back irrevocably on The
League of Nations, according tC
senator's with whom the president
discussed his message prior to it,
reading
The time has come, President
Harding said, for the world tc
understand that the United States
does not propose to become par
ty to any such military alliance
as the league proposes.
The president did not present
plan for a new association OF
nations to preserve peace. but had
the matter under consideration
and hoped to be able to work out
plan.
He made it emphatic that the
United States would not enter
this league upon any terms, re-
Sardless of its notifications or
amendments.
The message itself asserted that
no separate peace with Germany
"on that assumption alone be ad-
equate." 4 wiser course would
seem to be to engage under the
existing treaty, assuming, of
,,,,r.o tIa+ al, c,,, 1>a c,+,-f,,
torily accomplished by such ex-
pliCit reservations as will secure
our absolute freedom of inadvis-
able commitments and safeguard
all our essential intereets. "No
helpful society Of nations can be
founded on justice and committed
10 peace until covenants re-estab-
fishing peace are sealed by the
nations which were at war"
He declares for readjustment
of internal taxes which "are so ar
tihcial they defeat their ow" pur-
pose" instant emergency tariff
enactment: efficient railroad op-
Grafton at a cost within which
traffic can bear" rates and costs
must be reduced and capitalistic
exploitation removed; labor must
join management in understand
ing that the public which pays is
the public to be served; strength
cning Of laws governing federal
aid for good reads; no private
monopoly tending to develop the
needed facilities for merchant
marine; encouragement of avia-
ton.
The people expect congress un-
failingly to voice the public graft
tude in a generous and practical
way TO the world war defenders :;
coordination of government ag-
encies in public welfare; congress
should wipe out the barbaric stain
of lynching: a commission COM
posed of black and white to study
the subject has real merit
He says the government is in
harmony with the wish to elimi-
nate the burdens of heavy arma-
ment, but will not remove the az
encics until the need to defend is
removed. prudence forbids we
disarm.
The staggering load Of the war
debt must be cared for in orderly
funding and gradual liquidation !:
we must strike resolutely at ex-
penditure, however.
Less government in business
and more business in govern
ment no challenge to lawful bus
mess success; in agriculture
maintenance of retail costs in
perishable foods cannot be justi-
fed" reduced costs in basic pro-
duction are recorded, but the high
cost Of living has not yielded in
like proportion.
Congress might speed price re
adjustment to a normal relation
ship in a helpful way. A measur-
ing rod of fair prices will satisfy
the country, give business revival
and end all depression and unem-
plovment.
The Presidents discussion OF
the peace question in his mes
sage opened with a definite de-
claration against the existing
League of Nations. He termed
it a "supergovernment" in which
this republic will have no part.
The Leagues high pose, said
the President, is defeated by
linking it with the peace treaty
but in rejecting the League, he
said 1--WE make no surrender OF
our hope and aim for an associa-
tion to promote peace" At the
same time there can be no mis-
Interpretation and there can be
betrayal of the deliberate ex-