He Speaks Against Article X.
Elihu Root, recognized spuke: man for that element in the publican Party which favours general idea of a League of tions, came out last night for re jection of Article X. of the League covenant in a speech at Carnegie Hall under the auspices of the Na tional Republican Club last night.
In his first public utterance sine his return from Europe, where he went under invitation to assist in the formulation of plans for a World Court, which is to function under the League, Mr. Root expressed his personal desire for an organization among nations 'o cooperate to prevent future wars, and said he believed this was the wish of the majority of the American people. He asserted that the issue was not between the eu-trance of the United States into the League and no League, but be tween its entrance, into the League, just as President Wilson brought it back from Paris, or its entrance into the League so_modified as to meet American "objections.
Mr. Root asserted that if Senator Warren G. Harding, Republican nominee, were elected President, the United States would enter such a modified League, and quoted Senator Harding's speeches sustain this view of what the publican nominee might be ex pected to do. Senator Root re. called that Senator Harding had voted for ratification of the peace treaty with reservations on the League covenant, and said he would be willing to adopt the same course if he became President.
Speaking on Article X., Mr. Root declared that it was not only no part of the main scheme of the League of Nations but was incon sistent with its purpose and spirit in that it substitutes physical or armed force for the moral force which is relied upon in most of the other provisions of the covenant to prevent war.
Srrs Ostication To Go To War.
He asserted that Article X."imposed an obligation upon the United Statesto use its armed force, to go to war, if necessary, to defend Article X., in case of external aggression against any member of the League.
Mr. Root expressed the belief that this article, although obligato ing Congress to declare war in case of its violation, unless it wished to reject a treaty, could j not bind future generations of the United States actually, because,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.