Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-08-03


greatest speech made by Senator
Borah, of this state, since he has
been In the U s. Senate. was deliv-
cred on Thursday of last week. His
topic was the war. The New York
papers OF the following day carried
the speech practically in full with
front page display and most OF them
made editorial comment upon 1t.
The senator has since been deluged
with letters and kilograms which,
almost without exception, commend
his stand.
"The war in which we are now
engaged" he said, lis an American
war; for American rights, American
principles and American defense. He
denied that we fight to settle Euro
pean differences. We fight, he said.
to maintain our own democracy
Rorah pleaded for a definite pol
icy upon which we fight, not a nebu-
lous scheme. He said that now was
the time when we should know the
conditions upon which we woull
cease to fight.
Had this country seconded Russia
in her recent attempt for peace, the
vast and sombre European nation
would have been a 100 per cent bet
ter fighting force today than she
really is, said the Idaho senator.
"Out yonder in the Open," the
senator said, where every move
toward war means pain and suffering
where families are broken and separ-
ated, where fathers and mothers and
brothers and sons and husbands, too,
are to be offered up on the altar, that
altar must be our country"
You must speak to them OF things
at home and of the flag. You must
give them an American issue for
which to die
Never since August, 1914, has
there been time in this struggle
when the outlook was so serious and
menacing to the allies as now. There
has never been an instant so calculat-
ed to call forth patriotism and enlist
the unselfish effort OF the country's q
citizens as at the present time.
II did not vote for war out of sym
pathy for France. much as l sym
pathize with and admire that brave
and chivalrous people.
81 voted for war because our own
people had been murdered and be.
cause we we're warned that the
slaughter would be renewed.
Il could see nothing in the future
but continued wrongs and outrages
humiliation and a national degreda-
tion. did not vote for war tc
spread democracy through Europe
although In common with my coun
trymen would be glad to see every
king exiled from among men and dy
nastic power swept into the refus'
OF history.
'.I voted for war to make safe oul
own blessed republic, to give 1t dig
nifty. honor and security. / believe,
that self respect was indispensable t.
the life of q democracy, that whil
other nations might continue on il
humiliation and degradation, a de
mocracy without self respect coul
no longer continue.
"I believed that a republic exist
ing only in the affections OF its cit
zens could no longer survive the da
when It refused to defend the right
and protect the lives of its citizeni
For that reason and no other unde
the sun voted for war. And froI
that hour. in my judgment. the wa
became an American war, to be col
tinued upon American principles. I
be discontinued whenever America
interests said so.
''Tt was no longer . European vi
to readtust territory. to rehabilitai
nations, to spread democracy in e
rope. But It was an American vi
to establish once and for all tn
while slow to wrath we are swift
avenge those things which impel
the lives OF our citizens and the i
stitutions underw hich we live.
Russia has for all purposes pa
ed out OF the conflict Her intern
difficulties have made It practical
impossible for her to be OF effect .
on the fighting line. That tremen
ous body OF people upon whom
the allies depended 50 much !
practically lost the fighting line.