Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1920 — TAFT DOUBTS ACCEPTANCE OF HARDING LEAGUE PLAN [ARTICLE]

TAFT DOUBTS ACCEPTANCE OF HARDING LEAGUE PLAN

Expresses Hope That Nominee Eventually Will Turn to Lodge Reservations as Solution. Washington, D. C., Aug. 7.—William H. Taft, foimer president, who is looked on as the spokesman for those Republicans who favor ratification of the treaty with Germany, from his summer house at Pointe Plc, Canada, has sent a letter in response to questions submitted to him by the New York World, in which he says among other things: "I have often had occasion to say that without any reservations at all the covenant of the league of nations, in so far as it purports to Impose any obligations on the United States, must be construed to mean that the obligation will be performed in ac cordarice with the constitution of the United States and in no other way. It does not add anything, therefore, to the ratification of the United States of the league to make a reservation of some thing which is necessarily implied without it.” The former president also says: “I believe that it will be found that when Harding approaches the 29 members who have already /ormed a league that they will be reluctant to adopt some new form, especially if by that time the league shall have demonstrated its usefulness and practicability. It is on this basis that I hope Harding will ultimately conclude it to be wiser to enter the league with the Lodge reservations than to attempt to carry out the same purpose through a new form of association.”