Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-11-24

have voice in the nomination and Sc
lection of judges of the International
Court of Justice set up by the League
Of Nations. there is renewed interest
in Washington in what lie said to be
the possibility that eventually this
country will join the league.
The most militant element in the
Democratic party clings to the belief
that ultimately the United States will
enter the League Of Nations ard some
of the Democrats seem to believe that
the present administration is not as
antagonistlc to the thought of league
membership as once 1t was.
This feeling of the Democrats is not
shared at all by the Republicans ex-
cept those in the party ranks with
whom the wish may be father to the
thought and who, although maintain
ing their party standing. always have
been more or less In favor of the pol
icy of league membership.
1t seems to the present writer, from
somewhat careful study of the stu
alton, and from what can be learned
from administration leaders, that
there will be no closer approach to
membership In the league soon than
there is at present, except as such
an approach may be seen in the de-
termination to enter the international
Court of Justice and to take part in
the great economic parley which may
straighten out the financial affairs Of
the world.
Guessing at Hardng's Intention.
There are Republicans here who
say President Harding is more ad-
vanced in his international thinking"
than are other powerful leaders In his
party. Again 1t may be said. how
ever, that no one ever gets an express
sion from the administration which
smacks at all of a desire for league
membership. but it Is true that such
words as come from the administra-
ton leave the impression that the
President would like to go consid-
cradle distance into the field of help
for the other peoples of the world,
and that he probably intends to make
this journey afield If he can do 1t
consistently with the majority thought
Of his party.
1t Is bootless, apparently, however,
for men and women who believe the
United States should enter the League
Of Nations to think that during the.
present administration of American
affairs there will be any absolute join
ing up with the European nations in
the organization Of the league as 1t
exists today.
1t is held by the Republicans and
anti-membership-in-t men gen.
orally that 1t still Is the intention
Of the United States to do what 1t
can unofficially to help matters in the
world, but that nothing will be done
which from the point of view Of the
anti-leaguers would violate the Amer
lean traditions of aloofness from what
frequently are called foreign entan-
clements.
concerning Foreign OeptS-
1t has become known definitely
within the last few days that so long
as the present administration is in
power at least there will be no can
collation. of the debts of the foreign
ers to the United States, but it also
is known that, in spite of the cries
here and there about forcing payment,
the administration will attempt to do
nothing with a strong hand to secure
for the United States the war debts
due 1t from abroad.
At the White House the other day
an authorized spokesman for the Pres
ident said he had noticed here, there
and everywhere that men were rising
to say: "If these foreigners do not
pay us the money due, the United
States should get after Them with q
club"
Then the spokesman went on to say
that the President would give re-
ward to any man who would point out
definitely the means of getting the
foreigners to pay their debts, a means
which would not involve the sending
of armies and navies to Europe, there
to collect the money by force. 1t also
was minated that some of the speak
ers were long on threats but short on
ways and means.
OF course there is general agree
ment that the United States cannot
collect its debts by force. 1t now is
known definitely that there will be
representatives of the United States
in financial conference of the great
powers of the world. Out of this con-
ference there may come some means
of adjusting finances so that the pres
ent conditions Of threatened bank
ruptcy here and there may change
and slow return to financial sound
ness in European countries may be
assured. When this condition is
reached Washington folk say that