The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-29
PRESS ON HARDING COURT

own political brethren, on policy of wide national and international mo- ment. It appears, however, that the president is actually hewing more closely to the line of prediction pledges than other leading Republi- cans. The party committed itself to the principle of world court, and when MT. Harding made the proposal that we join the league court, with reservations, he at first received the commendation of Lodge, Borah and others who have since chosen to quail ify their approval into advocacy of a world court, to be sure, but not the court already in existence and suc- cessful operation. How the Lodges and Borahs expect to induce the other powers to forsake a court of their own for new and untried court proposed by our senate irreconcilables and avowed enemies of the league to which the other nations are bound by solemn compact is beyond conjecture. The president seizes the only practicable plan, which is membership in the ex- isting court, with such reservations as will make it palatable to the senate bitter-enders.
 A journalistic opponent of the league is the Kansas City Star, which has this to say about the Harding proposal: "Of course President Har- ding can press forward with this issue if he wants to, and insist on making 1t personal matter. He has recent precedent for doing so. President Wilson set it. But it has not been thought the results were such as to encourage another president to start out on the same path" The Star might have exercised its usual liberal ity of opinion and commended the president for the courage he has dis played in following out the dictates of his own best judgment rather than the political expediency of doubtful value as promulgated by his co-party critics.
 That the nation cannot enter the court without undertaking definite responsibilities and moral adherence to the court policy and decisions is plainly perceived by the Chicago Tri- bune, which therefore opposes the plan as leading us directly and ire sistibly into the league. Among the items to which the Tribune objects it enumerates: "We cannot agree, for instance, to let France, Belgium, Eng land, Italy, and perhaps other Euro pean countries settle a personal dis pute between us and Japan. We can not agree to let definite tribunal similarly composed decide finally upon our policies with reference to the Panama Canal. No more should Eng land submit the enforced definition of her rights in Mesopotamia or China by tribunal embracing Japan, Tur- key, Greece, the United States or others" The Tribune evidently takes no stock in the assertion of the e,resi- dent and of spokesmen of the league that the court does not contemplate involuntary Jurisdiction, and does not seek to interpose its authority when it's verdict is not sought. Further l more, there is quite a difference be- tween our sovereignty over the Canal Zone which belongs to us, and British sovereignty over Mesopotamia, which is hers by mandate, or over China certain rights in which are hers by in- ternational agreement. British ac- tivities in either Mesopotamia or China might properly be brought into the court even against Britain's will, be- cause of the documentary nature of Britain's right in those regions. It appears, however, that even in such cases the court does not claim volun- tary jurisdiction.
 Democratic and Southern journals are quite unanimous in approval of MT. Harding's plan, and the president must indeed feel isolated and alone to find himself deserted by the party stalwarts and the party press, while being commended warmly by the press of the opposition. As to the irrecon- cilables and the president the New York World remarks: "When they insist that he must abandon his world court policy these vociferous gentle men are in reality, asking the presi- dent to destroy himself in order to celebrate their triumph over the Hughes-Hoover element in the party. Now that he has committed himself to the world court, the one thing that MT. Harding cannot do is surrender. Circumstances are such that he is compelled to see the thing through, and the more fuss the Old Guard Re- publicans make the more explaining they will have to do in 1924" The president, however, should take heart of grace that he is solidly on the side of the Hughes, the Roots and the Hoovers of his party, instead of on that of the LaFollettes, Lodges and Borahs.
 The Chattanooga Times applauds the presidents plan, but adds: "We | o,x, xo ,>oo,o @Lo ,,,.,.IJ