Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-26
PRESIDENT QUOTES J
PLATFORMS; DENIES
LEAGUE ASPIRATION

@%EASI U.s. E1OA AEIsAE fOEm
NEW YORK. April 24.-Partici.
+, patton by the United States in the
world court, as proposed by the adj
ministration, President Harding de.
clared today at the annual lunch
con of members of the Associated
Press, would be in harmony with
party platform pledges, candida
torial promises and American as
plrations" and would not be an
entry into the League Of Nations
by the side door, the back door or
the cellar door"
Excessive friends of the league"
the president declared, have be-
clouded the situation by an unwar-
ranted assumption that the pro.
posal is move toward membership
In the league while, he added, the
lrreconcilable opponents of the
league also have beclouded the
question with the assumption that
entanglements with Europe un-
avoidably would follow.
The president dismissed the fear
Of entanglements with the blunt
| declaration that if the senate were
10 consent to any his administra.
ton would not complete ratifica-
ton of such proposal and there.
effective.
Party Idea Since 1904
Reiterating his conviction that
the United States could participate
In the world court without assum.
ing the risks which it's opponents
pointed out, President Harding re-
viewed the Republican party plat
forms since 1904, all of which, he
pointed out, spoke for a world court
OF arbltral justice and added:
Il believe in keeping the faith. II
| political parties do not mean what
they say and candidates do not mean
what they say, then our form of pop
ular government is based on fraud
and cannot hope to endure"
| But the president left no doubt
that he has no intention of moving
| toward the League of Nations by
his support of the world court.
In compliance with its pledges"
he said, "the administration definite
ly and decisively put aside all
thought of the United States enter.
ing the League of Nations. 1t
doesn't propose to enter now by the
side door, the back door or the cell
lar door. I have no unseemly
comment to offer on the league. IL
it is serving the old world helpfNlly,
| more power to 1t. But 1t is not
for us. The senate has so declared,
the executive has so declared, the
people have so declared. Nothing
could be more decisively stamped
with finality."
Mr.. Harding made 1t plain that
he did not consider the world court
question paramount to all other ma.
tional problems, and added that
neither did he hold it a menace to
party unity, evidently having in
mind the warning issued by some
Republican leaders within the last
few weeks.
Not Party Question
ut is not to be classed as
party question:" he continued, hut
If any party, repeatedly advocating
world court, is to be rended by
the suggestion Of an effort to per-
form in accordance with its pledges,
it needs a new appraisal of its as
sets"
Sensing one of the principal ar
guments to be used by opponents
of the administration proposal, the
contention that the United States
would be placed at a disadvantage
in the election of judges to the
court through the disparity in the
national voting power in the league
assembly, the president said he
frankly recognized this as a "politi-
cal bugbear," but added that mas
much as no nation could have more
than one judge, it was less of an
objection than when applied to the
league itself.
Although the question of the
world court formed the burden of
the presidents address, he also
spoke word for the establishment
of a merchant marine, deplored lack
Of party loyalty and the organiza-
ton of groups or blocs to serve
group interests, and urged that the
primary be made an agent of indis-
putable party expression rather
than a means of party confusion