The Washington times., 1922-05-24
WATSON LAUDS
COP. RECORD
IN HIS KEYNOTE
Indiana Senator Declares
Harding Regime Needs No
Apologies.
By International News Service.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. May "a
United States Senator James e.
Watson Of Indiana told the Repub-
lican State convention In a key
note speech" here today that the
Harding Administration needed no
apologist and that the mere recital
Of It's accomplishments and achieve
ments was the surest vindication OF
its conduct.
"The Administrators success in
the work of reconstruction, restora'
ton and rehabilitation can be
measured only by the magnitude Of
the obstacles II was necessary to
surmount before a return to norm
alcy could be achieved" Senator
Watson declared. Surely the fu-
ture historian will declare that no
Administration ever before came
into power confronting problems Of
such complexity and difficulty as
those which were inherited by Presi.
dent Harding and the Republican
Congress. Who will charge that
we have been remiss in the dis.
charge Of our obligations to the
people? Even IL this charge were
true II Is better to do nothing
than alYays to do wrong-better
Republican watchful indifference
than a debt.incurring. deficit-creat.
ing. bond-issuing. surplus-scattering.
factory-closing, industry .paralyzins :,
prosperity-destroying. social up
heaving. cataclysm. producing Demo.
cratic Administration
Arms Meet Called Epoch.
Since Harding became President,
Watson said, there has been no
thought of "surrendering the rights,
interests and ideals Of this nation TO
any scheme OF alien supar-sover-
eighty anywhere in the world"
There has been no intention" he
declared. "of dragging this repub-
lie into the League OF Nations. On
the other hand, every utterance Of
the President has shown him to be
diametrically opposed to any sucn
scheme.
THE armament conference was
the largest step toward international
peace with justice the world has
known in all its history. The Genoa
conference was manifest!v not an
economic. but a political conference.
Surely. America had no business to
be represented in any such confer.
once, and II is a matter OF congratu.
lation that the President and his
Secretary OF State have likewise de-
termined not to have any official re.
lationship with the proposed Hague
convention, which is but an adjourn
ed session Of the Genoa conference
Senator Watson expressed the be.
lief that the soldier bonus bill, AZ.
ready passed by the House would
find its way through the Senate, and
be enacted into law before the close
OF the present session Of Congress.
Il cannot now say Just what the
provisions OF this act will be" Wat.
son said. because they are vet the
subject OF consideration by tho Presi.
dent, and the members Of the Fl.
nance Committee. But I am quite
sure that they will involve no ad.
dittonal taxation and that finally
they will be paid by the Use Of the
bonds Of our debtor nations.
Sales Tax Predicted.
Watson said there would be fur.
ther revision OF Federal taxes during
the next year, and that u sales tax
probably would be enacted into law
at an early date. He opposed can.
collation. Of the s11, ,000. 900 900 for.
eigned debt to the United States,
urging its immediate collection, and
indorsed the Harding.Lasker ship
subsidy plan.
Discussing the political situation
in Indiana, Senator Watson said:
1T was known to all OF you that
] wished for the denomination OF my
honored colleague, Harry S. New
He has been a faithful servant OF
the people. and an industrious and
conscientious Senator and our own
relations had been cordial from the
beginning OF our service. I natural
lY believed that he had fairly earned
and was entitled to a re-nonInatlon
and reelection and gave expression
to my views on all proper occasions
But the Republicans OF the State
by the established method Of proce.
dure decred otherwise and I yield
a ready and willing obedience to
their commands. From this time
until election day shall exert every
energy at my command 10 secure thu
election Of Albert J. Beve"idge, and
I urge all my friends in Indiana 10
pursue the same course. Senator
Beveridge is no novice in public af.
fairs. He is in all respects worthy
and capable. and I shall suppo, I
him with all the vigor posse ss
throughout the approaching cam
paign."