The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-06-22
President Bows to ReSer-
walton of Lodge and Wat
son on Plan.
SPEECH AMAZES CROWD
Chief Executive Ready for
Any Method to Join
Tribunal.
BY LAWRENCE MARTIN.
Copyright. 1923. by Urited Press

N'@@SNN
ON BOARD PRESIDENT
HARDING s SPECIAL TRAIN,
EN- ROUTE TO KANSAS CITY,
June 22.-President Harding
has either taken into camp the
enemies of his world court plan
or he has surrendered the pros
posal to their mercies, knowing
they will kill it.
The President believes he has done
the former. that by hearing freely and
generously the demand for reserva.
tions. he has forced Lodge. Watson
and the other dissatisfied Republican
Senators to put on their reservations
and then radfy the court protocol, or
convict themselves before the country
Of insincerity
The reaction to Mr. Harding's
world court speech to an audience Of
10000 in st. Louis last night prob
ably will be violent. The President
will not be surprised If it is. He ex-
pected, for Example. the irreconcilables
will at once raise a clamor against his
suggestion, that the court be made
self-perpetuating.
Suggestion Is Amazing
That suggestion, one Of the most
amazing ever uttered by an American
President, was put into the speech
against the advice of some OF Mr..
Hardings close friends. But he put
it in along with his general offer to
consider any and all reservations OF
fered in good faith. He did this de-
nberately. His purpose was simply to
force a definite lineup Of the court
to show who are for II. who against
it and who are trying to knife Il while
ostensi5ly supporting It in principle.
The St. Louis speech was in fact the
boldest challenge Mr.. Harding has yet
issued TO that group Of senators who
have lately been trying 20 ruin him"
not only on the court issue, but on do
mestic matters. Some OF them purely
political.
The President was warned before he
delivered his St Louis speech 1t would
not please either the friends or foes OF
the world court plan. To some OF the
plans strong advocates the speech un.
doubtedly will indicate Mr.. Harding
has weakened most disappointingly.
Mr.. Harding said last night he would
not try to coerce the Senate nor i'm
pose his will on the people and score
a victory for executive insistence." He
will not repeat. If he can help it. the
experience of Woodrow Wilson with
the Versailles treaty
Accepts Any Terms
He wants most ernestly to get the
United States into the court. He is
willing to accept any method, any res
ervation that will insure American
membership.
The reason is the court plan is the
corner stone of the Harding admins
tration's whole plan for world peace
Without Americah membership in the
court. other items in the Harding in
ternational program will either be rem
dered impracticable or seriously de-
layed. That is why Mr. Harding last
night. in his combined challenge ard
appeal went much further than ever
before in expressing willingness to ac-
cept reservations.
Senator Lodge, at a recent confer.
House, told the President what reser-
vations he and Watson and other dis
satisfied Republicans wanted Mr.
Harding last night virtually accepted
Lodges proposals.
Audience Difficult
Last nights audience received the
speech with only moderate enthusiasm.
Mr.. Harding chose a difficult audience
for his court address He was speak
ing to people who have very argely
supported the extreme irreconcilable
views OF Senators Reed and Borah.
And he was introduced to that au-
dience by Arthur NJ. Hyde, the Gov
ernor of Missouri, who recently wrote
Senator Lodge that 800, 900 Missouri
Republicans" were with Lodge in his
opposition to the court.
THOUSANDS CHEER PRESIDENT
Executive Given ROusing Welcome
at Kansas City.