, 1922-03-02
HARDING AT HOME
AND WILSON ABROAD

''In presenting to the Senate the
treaties agreed upon at the Arma-
ment conference President Harding
occupied a position much stronger
than that occupied by President Will
son when he presented the treaty
agreed upon at Versailles" declares
the Republican Publicity Association.
through its President, Hon. Jonathan
Bourne, Jr. MIR. Harding was in a
position to argue tha: the honor OF
the country required the ratification
Of the treaty. President Wilson and
his supporters undertook to make
such a claim In behalf Of the treaty
Of peace with its league Of nations
encumbrance. but the plea gained no
c%rednnce anywhere.
The difference between the two
sit' OnS Is clear. President Wilson
went to Paris practically alone. He
18th him a few subordinates,
but he neither counseled with them
uor .eceived from them any sugges-
tons. They were mere clerk carry
ing information to give him II called
for. Neither directly nor indirectly
did he take the advice Of the Senate
nor keep the Senate informed as to
the steps he was taking. Moreover.
it having been reported that Presi-
dent Wilson intended to incorporate
in the peace treaty the league Of ma
tions covenant. thirty-nine members
of the Senate notified him In writing
and by the adoption OF a resolution
that they could not support the treaty
with such a provision in 1t. With
that knowledge before him and be-
lore the other nations represented at
Versailles, President Wilson contin-
ued in his determination to inter-
weave the league OF nations covenant
in the peace treaty in such a way that
the whole must be accepted or re-
jec'ed. He undertook to force the
Senate to give Its sanction to agree
ments whit which the Senate dis
agreed.
mo such methods were pursued
by President Harding. Instead OF 60
ing personally as a delegate to the
Conference he appointed four Of the
ablest men in the United States. two
OF them members Of the Senate and
leaders Of their respective political
parties. These four men in constant
consultation among themselves and
with the president and with members
Of the Senate represented the inter-
es's and desires of the United States
government. Moreover, the Senate
had already. by adoption Of a resolu-
ton declared its desire that treaties
be made providing for limitation OF
armament and settling vexatiors
auctions in the Pacific. Thus 1t will
be seen the President made the treat
les with the advice Of the Senate.
"In one other respect President
Harding's position was much strong
er than that Of President Wilson. At
the same time that he submitted the
treaties to the Senate he placed be-
fore that body q complete copy OF
the minutes of the proceedings by
which the terms Of the treaties were
arrived at. In other words, he placed
before the Senate all the information
in his possession bearing upon the
agreements by which 1t was proposed
the United States should be bound.
Not so did President Wilson. A vast
amour Of the data pertaining to the
Peace Conference at Versailles was
hidden away in what has since been
called the steel box and only in re-
cent weeks have the Senate and the
ton OF the contents Of that box and
even at this late date only such por-
ions as an editor acting under the
direction Of Mr.. Wilson saw fit to
make known through the columns
Of a limited number of newspapers.
president Wilson proceedd to ne-
gotiate q treaty in violation Of both
the spirit and the letter Of the United
States Constitution. President Hard
ing paid due respect to both"