Evening star., 1925-11-19
PRESIDENT NEEDS
COURT FIGHT AIDE
Opposition in Own Party May
Give Lead to Demo-
Crat Senator.
RY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Is looking for an honest man. de
must be q Republican member of the
United States Senate. He must hold
strong convictions In favor of Amer
lean adhesion 10 the protocol of the
World Court. He must be equipped
with sufficient influence to lead ef-
fectively the administration fight TO
take the United StareS into the court
The exact kind OF man Mr.. Coolidge Is
seeking has not vet been found. The
hunt for him is on. 1t IS the Presi-
dents devout hope that somebody
measuring up to the necessary quail
ficationS Will be discovered between
now and December i, when the
World Court proposal Will he up in
the Senate for discussion and even
rual ratification.
The natural thing would be for the
chairman of the foreign relations com
n!ittee TO captain the administration
forces. But as Senator Borah Is op-
posed to American entry into the court
on Coolidge lines It becomes necessary
10 seek other leadership. The next
two ranking Republican members of
the committee also oppose the admin
lStrationS World Court program. They
are Senator johnson Of California,
and Senator Moses of New Hampshire.
There are two other Republicans on
one of whom would be acceptable to
President Coolidge as comman nder-in-
chief in the court 1ight-Pepper Of
Pennsylvania and Lenroot Of Wiscou-
sin. But both Senators Pepper and
Lenroot are regarded as having put
themselves beyond the Coolidge pale.
as far as the World Court is CON
cerned. by their publicly declared lack
of sympathy with the administration
nl Of 2 4 -f,,sart
joining the tribunal. but neither is
content with the safeguards for keep
ing the United States uncontaminated
by the League of Nations.
Willis May Lead Fight.
President Coolidge has personal
representative on the foreign rela-
tlonS committee in Senator Butler OF
Massachusetts. Other pro-court Re
publicans on the committee are Willis
OF Ohio, Mclean Of Connecticut. Edge
of New Jersey and Capper of Kansas.
Some authorities think World Court
leadership may eventually devOlve
upon Senator Willis.
Unless the White House can hit
upon a. Republican OF magnitude to be
The chief advocate of the Coolidge
Hughes Kellogg World Court pro
gram. the President may he under the
painful necessity of allowing q Demo
c1dt TO enact that role. In that un-
usual event, the task and the honor
will probably fall to Senator Claude
A. Swanson of Virginia, ranking
minority member OF the foreign rela-
tionS committee.
Because he is the author OF a Senate
resolution introduced on March 3.
1925. Mr.. Swanson has recently been
invited TO discuss the World Court
situation with the President at the
White House. Whether Mr. Coolidge
confessed to the Democratic leader the
administrations quandary regarding
Republican sponsorship is not known.
What is known is that the dilemma
exists and that the President is
frankly anxious to be rid of it without
loss TO the Republican party of the
credit for American membership In
the World Court. Democratic leaders
have just boaSted of their strategic
position" on the court proposition.
Mr.. Coolidge does not want them to
boast that the real victory was theirs.
This writer can state on authority
that some of the most important mem
bers of the administration discern an
change of sentiment in the
United States on International affairs.
Turn from Isolation.
The turn is away from isolation and
toward more direct cooperation.
our consistently increasing leniency
to European debtor governments, cul-
minating with the recent funding set
tement with Italy. is undoubtedly a
sign of the times as the Coolidge ad-
ministration views them. The Lo-
carno security treaties have given an
immense impetus to Americas desire
to be concretely helpful in ordering
world affairs
Calvin Coolidge. as it has now be.
come almost a commonplace to OBJ
serve, is a shreWd politician. No one
in the White House for many a wear
has been able to read the handwriting
on the political wall at a further dis
fance than he. With women,
churches, universities, the bar, and a
most OF other organized forces
throughout the Nation. Republican
and Democratic alike, urging Ameri-
can entry into the World Court and a
generally less grudging cooperation
IN fose1gn affairs, MIR. Coolidge will
pc running true to sagacious form If
ne decides, as many expect him TO do,
10 give bold lead to their cause
when he addresses Congress on De.
cember 8.
At Omaha in October, on the toler.
noe issue, the President snapped out
or MS previous reticence and spoke
with unexpected plainness on one of
Americas burning domestic problems.
There are authorities who profess
confidence that Calvin Coolidge nert
month will declare himself with equal
SirecLness on International questions
tCopyright. 1925.)