Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-26
PRESIDENT DEF|ES
FOES; STANDS FIRM
FOR WORLD COURT
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
T.eased Wire Service to The .Journsl)
Copyright, 1921

WASHINGTON, April 24.-The
battle inside the administration to
persuade President Harding to eban,
don the world court proposal, Or a.
least let it slumber, is over. The
president has listened TO the pleas
Of some of the strongest political ad
visers in the Republican party. some
Of them in bis own cabinet, but has
decided to go through with his fight
irrespective Of the dire predictions
of party friction. irrespective of the
pessimistic pictures that have been
painted to him of ultimate defeat
The president Tuesday will an
swer the critics. those inside the Re
publican party as well as outside
in a speech to be delivered before
the members Of, the Associated Press
in New York in the Waldorf-Astoria
hotel Mr.. Harding appears not
merely as a chief executive-for the
Associated Press has frequently had
presidents to address its annual
meetings-but as a fellow-editor who
Is personally acquainted with doz
ems of the editors and publishers
who will be there.
Mr.. Harding has felt that it was
necessary for him to set at rest
once and for all the doubts and mis-
sivings concerning his attitude on
the world court. Some reports have
had it that he did not intend to
stand by his original position or that
when he found out how the party
leaders felt he would switch his
course. These stories have only had
the effect of stiffening Mr.. Harding's
determination. He probably would
acknowledge with pride that he has
f1eXibility of ieWpoint--contendi
that every chief executive should
keep his mind open TO the last-but
he will not brook the whispers of
a lack of backbone" which started
before the famous soldier bonus bill
was passed and which resulted only
in a stronger conviction that he
ought to veto the measure.
Same Situation Oh Court
Somewhat the same situation has
arisen about the world court. 1t has
been said for instance, that Mr.
Harding sent the proposal to con
gress Several weeks ago because he
was under the influence of pro
leaguerS" as the advocates of Amer
lean entrance into the League of
Nations are sometimes called. The
president since has let 1t be known
that he did not consult with any
body but his secretary of state,
Charles Evans Hughes, and that the
first information any pro-leaguers
or anyone else got about the world
court came from the publication in
the press of the letter of transmit.
tai to congress.
But it is the fact that should there
be any opposition to what Mr.. Har-
ding calls Republican doctrine,
that should there be talk Of friction
when he simply announces his in
tention of fulfilling a campaign
promise-this is admittedly a cause
Of concern. Differences of opinion
as to the political effect of Mr.. Har-
ding's determination to go through
with the world court proposal range
from suggestion of temporary di.
vision to an actual split in the
party ranks
One thing will be clear after to-
morrow's speech-the president will
have committed himself so strongly
to the world court protocol that
there will be no turning back and
all efforts to swerve him will be flu
tile. in fact, if the president had
not made up his mind to make a
speech on the world court tomor
row, he might have been listening
for several weeks more to the urg,
ings of the group which opposes
his getting into the controversy any
further than he has. They have
tried to persuade him to treat it as
simply a recommendation of his sec.
rotary of state to be acted upon by
congress with freedom from party
restraint in much the same way that
congress approves or disapproves
the recommendation OF a cabinet
officer.
To Make Court Part OF Policy
The president, however, feels he
must make the world court a part
Of administration policy. He thinks
tue COunlTy VIII SIdnu DdCh OL ulIu
and that he will gain in strength.
especially with the independent vot-
ers. when they read his argument
for the court.
The political advice given the pres
ident, however, to let the world
court issue alone was not altogeth.
er based upon the merits of Ameri
can membership in a world court,
but on~what the practical politicians
call circumstances and not theo-
ries." The president is in the race
for renomination-his attorney gen
eral deliberately put him there to
squelch opposition-to date there has
been no pretext for party division
The fear of many Of the men who
have argued with the president to
let the matter subside is that oppo-
nents of denomination will merely
use the world court controversy as 4
pretext. Mr.. Harding thinks these
are exaggerated fears and impress
sions that later will be found to
have been without foundation. So
he has cleared decks for action
and it's the first real test of Harding
H.