Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-15
REVIVAL Of LEAGUE
GIVES POLITICIANS
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Republicans Not Particularly
Anxious to Debate Subject
Again-VersaiIIes Treaty
Growing in Favor
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
1000

started something OF a commOtloL
an the political world. Democrats
as well as Republicans may differ
as to the ultimate effect of his at
tempt to revive the League of Ma
tons as an issue before the Ameri
can people, but his readiness tC
champion again the Question of in.
ternational cooperation is interpret
ed as bid for the leadership of the
Democratic party which has been
floundering without direction or
guidance since the overwhelming de-
feat of 1920.
Those who know Jamse M. Cox
and his record in Ohio say he is
never uefeated-that many a man
would have been discouraged after a
setback such as he sustained after
MS first term as governor but he
stuck to his guns and was elected
governor for two terms thereafter.
Anyone who has believed Mr.. Cox
Is out of the running and is not to
be reckoned with found out differ
entity this week when the former
standard bearer of the party enter
ed where others had feared ito tread
and boldly announced his faith in
the League of Nations issue.
The effect in congress has been
TO arouse discussion in which, of
course. even Democrats not partic-
ularly unfriendly to Mr.. Cox have
questioned the wisdom of interject-
ing the league issue into the con.
gressional campaign when there are
so many other things that have hap
pened in congress or failed to hap
pen Which can absorb the stump
speakers this autumn
Ammunition for Democrats
republicans are not sou comfort
able about the revival of the league
debate as may seem on the surface.
Senator Medill Mccormick, of ILL
nois, one of the original irreconcil-
ables, took note of Mr.. Cox's utter
ance and gladly welcomed the issue,
and some Democrats promptly said
the Illinois, senator was hoping
something would come up to divert
attention from the record Of this
congress.
But the truth is even Mr.. Cox has
not begun to shape the league issue
in the form lin which,, polfticaTTy
speaking, would be most advanta-
geous for the Democrats to handle
it. To argue merely for the entry
of the United States into the League
of Nations says nothing particular
ly new, and permits the Republicans
to repeat their contention of Eu-
Xpean ENHANCEMENT.
But there is another phase of the
1f i,,fa oafi 0O-
operation which is bound to be en-
barrassing to the Republicans them
selves and the Democrats, especially
Mr.. Cox, are shrewd enough to know
the vulnerable spot in Republican
armor.
Senator McCumber, chairman of
the all-important senate finance
comnittee, and entitled to be con-
1sidered as a Republican leader, him
self has handed the issue to the
democrats. He has asked, what
has become of the association OF ma
lions promised by Mr.. Harding?
While the league covenant was re-
iected by Mr.. Harding, he offered
a substitute-associat of nations.
Pro-league Republicans, including
Secretaries Hughes and Hoover,
Joined in the campaign statement
that a vote for Mr.. Harding meant
vote for an association of nations.
The Harding Formula
There is every reason to belleVe
that Mr.. Harding considers his WORK
in that direction completed. He mas
announced the formula-not an as
ISOLATION of nations but association
with nations. This means an occa-
sional conference of powers who
shall make treaties between them.
The four-power treaty is. one of
them. Nothing however has been
done in conference with European
powers with reference to economic
matters and the Democrats, of whom
many helped to ratify the four-power
pact, will insist that an entangle-
ment over insular rights in the
Pacific seven thousand miles away
is a good precedent for similar en-
gagements three thousand miles
across the Atlantic.
Since the 1920 campaign, many
things have happened pointing to
the need of international co-opera-
ton. Mr.. Cox will continue to urge
that entrance into the League of
Nations was the right formula.
Others will say America should
have attended the Genoa economic
conference. And on top of all this
President Harding is getting ready
to join the reparations commission
and to have America participate in
trade and economic conference to
be summoned after Genoa.
The original t'irreconcilable''
group will resist these steps. If
Mr.. Harding follows their will, the
campaign of 1924 undoubtedly will
see the issue of international CO.
operation brought to the fore. If
Mr.. Harding by 1924 has brought
the United States into the councils
of world powers and has gotten re-
suits. his defenders will insist that
he has accomplished as much if
not more than by a frigid formula
such as the league covenant pro-
vided.
The significant thing is that Gov.
ernor Cox's campaign for interna-
tional cooperation has been begun
two years in advance of the next
presidential campaign. No less a
nerson than Senator Borah says
sentiment among the Republicans
has grown in favor of entering the
League of Nations and he accuses
Secretaries Hughes and Hoover of
still working toward that end.
Some of the practical politicians
among the Democrats on capitol hill
wish Governor Cox had waited un.
til after the congressional elections
and started things with the rise in
Democratic stock expected to ma
terialize at the polls this year but
friends of Mr.. Cox say the Demo.
Gratis have been silent too long al
ready and that political fights never
are won by waiting too long to rouse
public opinion.