Evening star., 1923-01-06
Position Of Mr.. Harding Seemed
to Be Logical.


President Harding's letter of oppo-
sition to the later withdrawn reso-
luton of Senator Borah demanding
an economic conference to consider
Europe's plight met with more or
less general approval throughout the
country. There seemed to be some
what unanimous agreement that
after all, diplomatic negotiations were
the function of the executive, not the
Legislative, branch of the government.
There is a favor Of homely COM
mon sense" suggests the New York
Tribune (republican), "in the Presi-
dents reminder to the Senate that its
real forte Is legislation, and not dl-
llomacy." The letter "also has tart
quality not familiar in MS Ruoiic
(independent democratic), and ut Is
clear that President Harding Will 90
what he thinks right and wise In the
conduct of foreign relations witnouS
regard to what the Senate may say.
There is no doubt in the mind OF the
pendent republican, that Mr.. hard
ing does we'll to remind the support
ers of the Borah proposal that they
would send the Executive into q con-
ference with his hands tied" It IKE
wise is the view of the Baltimore
sun (democratic) in this connection,
however, that the letter marks dis
tinct advance in the government
position. Senator Borah Is to be con-
graduated on the fact that his letter
"Had Mr.. Harding been alive to the
situation there would have been no
N necessity for the Borah resolution,
the New York World (democratic) is
convinced, and it argues that what
he forgets, to say Is that ne ,s slggssa ss
war debts refunding commissions g
time to make fight to give 1t the
power that he now tepidly suggests
also be remembered, the Baltimore
News Independent republican, holds,
that adoption of the Borah amend
ment would have placed the admins
tration in false position both to,
it's own constituents" This is much
the view of the Springfield Repubii-
can dndependent), which believes
! that "the Presidents knowledge or
European conditions rs presumab ply
of the Senate" while the Brooklyn
Eagle dndependent democratic) feels
that "the Sixty-seventh Congress
could do no better work in the clos
ing mOnCnS OF It's term tfl@lt 70 I0-
peal the provision, OF the law which
prevents the administration from
Considering the issue of war indebt-
edness on the basis. of Europe's Ga
pacity to pay"
"The weakness in the Presidents
position," argues the Newark News
independently, els. however, in this
case, not one where he has any
1 definite policy or even known phil
osophy toward o condition abroad
that is steadily dragging civilization
ourselves included, toward the brink.
unless, indeed, IL Ia entirely a negative
one persisted In with the hope that
something may turn up. Above all,
how can there DO disarmament or
nation in the world does not dare to
put its signature to the statement
that we would consider It our concern
| IL in our own free opinion any ma
| tion is unwarrantably attacked, even
when the rest of the world would
consult with US. for that purpose
The presidential letter els timid
leadership" the New York Post Gin
dependent) feels, and the merits OF
his statement of the case are largely
yitiated by q lack of faith and reso-
luton. Mr.. Harding Is right in driv, v,
Borah's attitude on allied debts has
helped to block a solution of the
European problem. But from Borah
too, the administration might take q
| lesson in aggressive leadership
The Richmond News-Leader Unde-
pendent democratic) is far from con-
pinced that even IL given a "free
hand assurances Of great results car
4 be obtained" and insists that, while