World Court Pot Pourri

Public and political opinion is taking its time to crystallize on Mr. Harding's proposal that the United States participate in the Permanent Court of International Justice. Politicians have been rushing about and issuing semi-formal statements, trying to decide on what political stand they may take. The hubbub was further heightened by the presence in Washington of Lord Robert Cecil, advocate of the League of Nations.

P: Representative Wood of Indiana, Chairman of the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, called at the White House and told the President that in his opinion the Middle West was strongly opposed to the World Court. Mr. Harding is said to have declared that opposition was largely based on misunderstanding of his proposal, which he would shortly clarify.

P: Frederick H. Gillett, Speaker of the House, declared: " I am heartily and unreservedly with President Harding on that (the court) issue. . . . This recommendation . . . does not in any way involve entanglement with the League."

P: David Jayne Hill, former Ambassador to Germany, issued a statement opposing participation in the Court because it is not a World Court (i. e., does not include every nation in the world).

P: Elihu Root discussed the World Court with the President and is understood to have declared his belief that opposition would vanish when the President's plan was understood.

P: Senator Borah told President Harding that he was receiving many letters opposing the World Court because it was the first step to entering the League of Nations.

P: Senator Harrison of Mississippi, sharp-tongued Democratic whip, asserted that with possibly three exceptions the Democrats in the Senate would vote for the President's World Court proposal.

P: Said Lord Robert Cecil: "The Court is entirely separate from the League. It is specifically provided that nations not in the League of Nations may be represented on the Court.

P: Mineichiro Adachi, official reporter of the World Court and Japanese Minister to Belgium, stated that he was engaged in correspondence with Professor Manley O. Hudson of the Harvard Law School concerning the details of possible participation in the Court by the United States. (Professor Hudson was an advisor of President Wilson at the Peace Conference, but is not connected with the present Administration.)

P: Lord Robert Cecil had interviews about the World Court and the League with ex-President Wilson, President Harding and Senator Borah--but refused to indicate what took place. Senator Borah was not converted to the League.

P: Senator McCormick of Illinois, Senator Watson of Indiana and Chairman Adams of the Republican National Committee had a conference on the World Court. They agreed that the Committee should avoid the Court issue and devote its publicity to domestic matters.