Milford chronicle., 1923-08-10

! delegations, because I had followed in
my pre-cOnVention campaigning the
rule that has guided me throughout
my political career, which is not to
hurt any ones feelings or to step on
anybody's toes if 1 could find foot
room elsewhere. 1 figured that if DO
likeness and an honest desire not to
humiliate any rival just for the sake
of winning a few votes were ever 60
ing to produce anything, this was the
time. Other fellows, just as competent
as l, or more so, had made enemies,
and 1t looked to me that there was no
one in sight that the convention could
united on except myself"
Campaign Fight Over League
The reaction against President Will
son and the League of Nations, the
1ames of which were famed by the
Republican leaders, was at its height.
Senator Harding for the most part re-
malned at his home in Marion and
conducted front porch" campaign
by speeches to visiting delegations.
Ihe policy of the Republican campaign |
management was to "play safe" and |
senator Harding's speeches indicated |
an acqulescence in that policy.
Perhaps his greatest difficulty dur
ing the campaign-certainly the great
est difficulty of his campaign manag-
ers-Was his attitude toward the
League OF Nations. A group Of infuen-
tlal republicans, among whom were
Mr.. Hughes, Mr.. Hoover, George w.
Wickersham, formerly Attorney Cen
eral, and others, were for some form
of participation by the United States
IN international work for peace. The
Dltter-enders, headed vocally by
Senators Hiram Johnson and William |
H. Borah' but including also a num-
per OF Senators classed as belonging
TO the odd Guard" were opposed to
any such participation. It was Senator
Hardlng's task to hold between the
TWO.
Mr.. Harding did this. He advanced
-he idea of an association of nations.
n which the right of Independent ac- !
lion OF the United States should be :
preserved, as a substitute for the .
league OF Nations, and declared that /
MS opinion an International court
u justice, subsequently embodied in
lis World Court proposal, was the {
cornerstone of any international ef- Il
ort to promote peace. J
Efforts were made to commit Sena-
or Harding to the League idea. Pro- &,
league Republicans expressed conf .
ence that he would advocate some u
orm OF international cooperation, if y
lected, and a committee of distin- .
ulshed Republicans issued a state {,
lent to that effect. The candidate. So
oWeVer, did not commit himself to ~,
lese statements and recently had oc- - -
aston to say that he could not be re- ~ ~
9onsible for views. expressed by any ~ ~
1dy but himself. "
Added to other factors in shaping o' eN
le result of the election was a GER ~. ~
IN resentment against war taxation a. a.
Id the cost of living, which neces- VI u
rlly operated against the party in % %
Dwer. TO
All these things contributed to give u
'nator Harding a popular majority n.
more than 100000 over Governor
mes M. Cox, felloW-Ohioan, the -
nominee, and majority ma
the Electoral College of TT. -
Assuming Office on March 4. 1921. @ ele
tn the prestige of his great popular W, WI
lJority, President Harding found a ~ ~
tx of many difficulties confronting oe oic'
n. The Government offices were ov- oi
with employees left over H Lli1
m the war period, taxes were high IL iIio
the cost of Government had n, ~
united tremendously from that of q q
9-war days. ,.e,
Works of Arms Conference nat
The outstanding feature of the Har- and
g Administration during the first Gov
years and half of it's existence diff
undoubtedly the Conference for law
Limitation of Armament, during plai
Winter of 1922. Nine nations tax,
United States, Great Britain, exc
lnce, Italy, Belgium, the Neither izat
DIS, Portugal, Japan and China az
'ticipated. An agreement was reach