SEC. HUGHES REPLIES TO WILSON CLUB LETTER

Secretary of State C. E. Hughes LL.D. '10 has replied to the circular letter which was sent by the Woodrow Wilson Club of the University on January 2 to the 31 Republicans who issued during the Presidential campaign of 1920 a statement expressing a "desire that the United States shall do her full part in association with the other civilized nations to prevent war" and declaring that "having earnestly considered how to contribute most effectively to that end by their vote in the impending election, they had decided to vote for Senator Harding. The Wilson Club letter declared that this statement swung votes, and asked if the signers still stood by the same principles.

In his reply, Secretary Hughes says:

"As I have repeatedly said, the statement of the thirty-one expressed sincerely the point of view I entertained in common with the others at the time the statement was signed, but the Administration was compelled to deal with the situation as it found it on coming into power. You should have in mind the fact that the entrance of this Government in to the League of Nations, on any conditions, could be accomplished only by treaty, and treaties cannot be made except in the constitutional manner. The position of the Administration was defined in President Harding's message to Congress in April, 1921, to which I must refer you.