The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-05-01
PRESIDENT CITES
PLEDGES OF PARTY
Is OPPOSED TO ENTRY INTO
LEAGUE BY "SIDE-DOOR, BACK
DOOR OR CELLAR DOOR"

NEW YORK, N. Y.-Participatior
by the United States in the world
court as proposed by the administra-
ton. President Harding declared to-
dav at the annual luncheon OF mem
bers of the Associated Press, would be
in harmony with party platform
pledges candidatorial promises and
American aspirations" and would not
be an entry into the league OF nations
"bv the side-door, the back-door or
the cellar door
Becloud Situation.
Excessive friends OF the league,
the president declared have becloud-,
ed the situation by an unwarranted
assumption that the proposal is a
move toward membership in the
league while, he added, the irrecon-
cilable opponents OF the league have
also beclouded the question with the
assumption that entanglemeents with
Europe would unavoidably follow.
The fear of entanglements the pres
ident dismissed with the blunt decla-
ration that if the senate were to con-
sent to any his administration would
not complete ratification OF such a
proposal and would thereby prevent
it from becoming effective.
Reviews Platforms.
Reiterating his conviction that the
United States could participate in the
world court without assuming the
risks which its opponents point out,
President Harding reviewed the re-
publican party platforms since 1904,
all of which he pointed out spoke for
a world court OF arbitral justice and
added:
Il believe in keeping the faith. If
political parties do not mean what
they say and candidates do not mean
what they say, then our form OF pop
ular government is based on fraud
and cannot hope to endure"
But the president lett no doubt
that he has no intention OF moving
toward the league OF nations by his
support of the world court
'In compliance with its pledges,
he said, the administration definitely
and decisively put aside all thought
of the United States entering the
league of nations. 1t doesn't propose
to enter now by the side-door, the
back-door or the cellar door. | have
no unseem1v comment to offer on the
league. If it is serving the old world
helpfully more power to IT. But 1t IS
not for us. The senate has so declared,
the executive has so declared, the peo-
pie have so declared. Nothing could
be more decisively stamped with
fnality."
Not Paramount Question.
Mr.. Harding made it plain that he
did not consider the world court ques-
ton paramount to all other national
problems and added that neither did
he hold it a menace to party unity,
evidently having in mind the warning
issued by some republican leaders
within the last few weeks.
1T ought not to be classed as a
party question:" he continued, but if
any party, repeatedly advocating a
world court, is to be rended by the
suggestion of an effort to perform in
accordance with its pledges it needs
a new appraisal OF its assets"
Sensing one OF the principal argu-
ments to be used by opponents OF the
administration proposal, the claim
that the United States would be plac-
ed at a disadvantage in the election
of judges to the court through the
disparity in the national voting pow
er in the league assembly, the presi-
dent said he frankly recognized this
as political bugbear,' but added
that inasmuch as no nation could
have more than one judge it was
less of an objection than when applied
to the league itself.
Although the question of the world
court formed the burden of the presi-
dents address, he also bespoke a
word for the establishment of a mer-
chant marine. deplored lack of party
loyalty and the organization OF groups
or blocs to serve group interests, and
urged that the primary be made an
agent OF indisputable party expression
rather than means OF party confu-
sion or destruction.
The president spoke to more than
1000 newspaper. men.