The Washington times., 1923-05-05
IRRITA TED
B Y HIS
CRITICS
Plans to Go to Mat With Them
and Garry Fight Direct
to People.
By GEORGE r. HOLMES,
international News Service.


President Harding is 'going to
the people" with the world court
issue.
Any hopes entertained by dis
satisfied Republican leaders that
Harding would "soft pedal the
court issue out of Difference to
their wishes, disappeared today
and the word passed through Re-
publican circles in the Capitol
that the President is going to the
mat with his opponents on his
Forthcoming Western trip in a far
more vigorous manner than has
heretofore been expected.
Trritated by Criticisms.
The President has shown unmis.
taxable signs this week, since his
New York speech has been so
variously interpreted, of being
strongly irritated-not only by the
criticisms of diSgruntled Repub-
licans. but also by the confident as
sertions OF Democratic spokesman
kthat going into the court is the
first step toward going into the
league of nations. He has con6e-
Quently determined that his critics
both Republican and Democratic
will be answered in detail in the
speeches he will make across the
continent.
Republicans who are lukewarm
If not hostile to the court, who
called on the President after his
return from New York, came
away with the impression that
Il H. 49, ca -
the court issue on his trip. They
urged the President to make do.
nestle issues. taxes, employment,
prosperity, etc, the principal SUBJ
jects of his western addresses,
and they came away confident
that Harding would make but one !.
possibly two. court speeches on
This impression has now been
eradicated. and Republican OPP
ponents of the court scheme are
confronted with the alternative Of
going along with the President,
maintaining discreet silence, or
OF bold, outright opposition.
Harding considers that he spoke
plain words in New York when he
said that under no circumstances
would be consent to the United
States going into the league.
Nothing he said, "can be more
decisively stamped with finality"
than that
been aroused by such statements as
that made by Senator Simmons
Oem.l of North Carolina:
Sees League Entry Coming.
81 believe" said Senator Simmons,
that joining the world court is the
opening wedge to partnership in the
League of Nations. / was in favor
of the league, and the Senate would
not let us have it. ! am in favor of
the court
1t is the practical politics Of the
court issue that is worrying Re
publicans of all factions Senator
Weller (R) of Maryland. one Of the
conservatives Of the Senate, indi-
Gated this today when he said:
President Harding and the Re-
publican party spent two years edu.
eating the American people to op.
pose the League of Nations. That
their efforts were successful was
demonstrated by the 100000 ma
jority given Harding in 1920.
Burden of Proof.
Now If President Harding presses
his world court proposal, he must
accept the tremendous burden of
proving to the American people that
the world court is not a part of
the league of nations. / rather
think it is, and / predict there will
be much discussion and a number
of safeguarding reservations before
an attempt to obtain the Senate's
ratification can be successful"
49,
from the conservative Republicans
of the Weller type, has convinced
Harding that he must fight for the
court If American membership is
to be accomplished Hence, his de-
cision to "go to the mat on the
court issue this summer.