Wilson challenges Republicans over stance on League of Nations

New York, 19 June 1920 - With the Democratic Party set to hold its convention in the coming weeks, the question of the United States’ relationship with the outside world has been placed centre stage by Woodrow Wilson. The president challenged Senator Harding, the Republican candidate, to hold a referendum on the attitude of the United States to the League of Nations.

This challenge has been enthusiastically received by Senator Harding who said yesterday: ‘I am sure the Republican Party will gladly welcome a referendum on the question of the foreign relationship of this republic and that the Republican attitude in preserving our nationality will be overwhelmingly endorsed.’

For Democratic supporters, Wilson’s laying down of the gauntlet to Senator Harding has raised the prospect that the president will be seeking what would be an unprecedented third term.

Not all are enamoured by the prospect. While there is confidence in the Democrats’ ability to defeat Harding, there is a concern that Wilson is not the best candidate to do it, with some arguing that he is weak and that the country is tired of him.

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]