PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17989, 16 July 1920, Page 5

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

THE DOMINANT ISSUE. THIRD PARTY'S PLATFORM. Aasocia-fcion—By TolegTaph—Copyright. NEW YORK, July 14. Senator Harding (Republican) has issued a statement accepting Mr Roosevelt's (Democratic nominee for Vice-President) offer to make the League of Nations the dominant issue in the Presidential campaign. Ho said: " Should the Democrats win the election, the League would be ratified and America would ■ immediately become a party to the 20 wars now going on in the world. The Republican Party and its candidates gladly accept the challenge to make the election a national referendum on the question whother we will have four years more of Democratic readiness to surrender the United States Republic's interests." A message from Chicago states that the following planks will be put before the Third Party convention: Recognition of the Irish Republic and of the Russian Soviet; public ownership of railroads, stock yards, and other public utilities; the initiative, referendum, and recall; the adoption of Mr Gompers's Labour programme, which both the Republican and the Democratic Conventions rejected; the repeal of all espionage laws; a referendum in all wars, save when the United States is invaded ; the withdrawal of the United States troops from Europe; and a soldiers' bonus.—A, and N.Z. Cable.

NEW YORK, July 13. The New York Times Chicago correspondent telegraphs that an agreement has finally been reached whereby the National Labour Party has joined the Third Party, all the elements of which are soon to meet in a common convention, adopt a platform, and choose their candidates. The name of the party has not yet been decided on.

The amalgamation is considered a victory for the Radical elements, which are now expected to dominate the party's activities. It is announced that Governor Cox, the Democratic nominee for the Presidency, and Mr Roosevelt will confer with President Wilson..