Evening star., 1923-04-25
PRESIDENT HELPED
BY TALK 10ED|T0RS
Support for World Court
Gained at New York
Meeting.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK, April 25.-President
Harding has made American member
ship in the world court of interna-
tional justice an almost assured fact.
The President won to his side enough
republican editors to keep in line a
sufficient number of republican SEN
ators, who. together with a solid
democratic strength, will furnish the
necessary two-thirds to ratify the
protocol.
Mr. Harding did not reach out for
democratic support-he had it already
In fact the democrats We're prevented
from greeting him with excessive en-
thusiasm for he took occasion TO rap
hard the idea of American member
snip in the league Of nations, and in
sisted the United States, under his ad-
ministration, would not enter by the
side door. the back door or the cellar
door," a fling that made the democrats
froWn, but gave many republicans the
satisfying thrill which they really
wanted before making up their minds
to support the world court.
President on Trial
The President was on trial before
the assembled editors of the Assoc
ciated Press. 1t wasn't the world
court proposal so much as Warren
Harding himself who was being scru-
tinized. The corridors were buzzing
with political gossip all day. Nat
urally. when editors from all parts
of the United States get together in
one place they talk about political
currents. Mr.. Harding's candidacy
for denomination in 1924 accentuated
this feeling and made the atmosphere
fa y;
san political convention. if there ever
could be such a thing, than an ordi-
nary speech to group of business
men and writers. 1t really had the
setting of speech to Congress, for
though there was no political aisle
to emphasize division, as is the case
in the House and Senate, partisanship
sat there just the same.
1t was apparent in the applause; it
was evident in the comments one
heard after the speech was over.
Made Good Impression.
Personally Mr. Harding made a
good impression-he has a likeable
pride that one of their number Is in
the White House. In every respect
the audience was disposed to be
friendly. But deep-seated beliefs and
convictions are not easily disturbed
by the plea of a President Mr.. Hard
ing had this advantage-he made his
argument to many editors who hadn't
made up their minds. who had heard
rumors of friction inside the party
but didn't know whether to believe
them. The President took his stand
on the party record-he endeavored
to show the world court had been of
republican origin.
He read from previous national plat
forms of the republican party. He
didn't refer to Elihu Root, republican
statesman. who practically drafted the
world court plan. but he did go back
to his own campaign speeches to show
that he was merely advocating some
thing he and the party had always
stood for.
good many republican editors who
correspond. more or less. to the So
called "irreconcilable" group in the
want Mr.. Harding to make an issue
inside the party. They think he is
committing political suicide. They
are unconvinced-thiS was apparent
for example. in the leading editorial
today, which said, of course Mr.. Hard
ing was right in saying the republican
party wanted world court but not
this world court, because it was Gre
ated by the league Of nations. and that
was a democratic creation. 1t sug-
gested that he start new world court.
Seek to Undermine.
These editors will not be satisfied
to let Mr.. Harding get the benefit of
such waves Of sentiment as he got
here in New York at the newspaper
ing away, burrowing constantly as
the ''irreconcilable" group did with
the league of nations itself, until the
whole republican party was swung
line of attack will be to take adyan-
tage of Mr.. Harding's own statement
in his speech here. when he said Il
would not have it thought that hold
this question paramount to all others
confronting our government"
This gives opportunity for all sorts
of proposals on domestic issues which
can ca be e,,ss': kept in in, the Foreground. The
tactics. Mr.. Harding will have a slim
majority to work with In the next
Congress. The radicals will have
enough domestic measures to propose
from coming up and while the demo-
Gratis will help on the final vote. IL Ia
hardly to be expected that they will
assist Mr.. Harding in the troubles
with his own party.
Selection OF Judges.
The President incurred consider
able democratic hostility because Of
his condemnation of the league of ma
tions. principally because the very ar
guments he made for accepting six
to one voting In the assembly of the
league for purposes Of selecting
world court judges. are to democratic
minds equally applicable to full
fledged American membership in the
league itself.
But the biggest benefit that will
accrue from the speech, so far as Mr.
Harding is concerned. is the effect on
his own political fortunes. Many edi-
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