The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-09
Borah Tells Topekans L. Of N.
PeriIs Are Many.
Many Things Believed in Cove
nant Are Not There.
ENGLAND GETS ADVk'r.-- 11.GES
Greater Military Burdens In.
stead of Disarmament Seen.
Idaho Senator Wants Voters To
Have Say About Matter.

Most Of the things which the gen.
eraI public believes contained in the
league of nations constitution are
not there at all. That was the asser-
ton which Senator William E. Borah.
drove home to an audience of more
than 1000 Topekans who bucked a
Kansas deluge to hear the argument of
the chief opponent of President Will
sons program.
Senator Borah told the Topeka
audience that the cards were stacked
against a square deal for the United
States in the league covenant. He said
that five votes were provided In the
executive council-United States, Eng
land, France. Italy and Japan. Eu-
rope would forever dominate world
policies, the Idaho senator asserted,
and an enlargement of the league to
include more nations would merely
give to the United States her one
lonely vote.
Hog Share TO Britishcrs.
kansas would not vote on an
equality with New Zealand, said Sen.
ator Borah, "but New Zealand would
vote the strength of the United
States in the council"
No provision for disarmament is
made in the league provisions, the
Idaho senator stated. Instead, he as
serted lndt pfONlslOH was IHduS winch
would require nations to assume
greater military burdens and response
bilities.
This thing sounds good when we
read the wrapper on the bottle" said
Senator Borah, but when we examine
the contents there is found to be some
medicine we were not looking for.
you thought the Monroe doctrine
was safe. But it isn't. No, it, was
carefully removed. There is nothing
to exempt that policy from infring-
ment once we enter the league. Yet
England carefully exempted from con-
sideration the freedom of the seas.
Docs Not Blame England.
at do not blame Great Britain for
looking after her own interests. But
when you sit down at the diplomatic
table with Great Britain, you haven't
any time to attend to anybody's bust
ness but your own?'
Senator Borah warned his audience
that the league of nations program
might come back to this country in
the form of a peace treaty. Never,
he asserted, would the United States
/ senate vote to approve covenant
which gave to this country the unequal
representation and left the nation at
the mercy of Europe and other powers
of the world.
"And if this program comes back
| interviewer with the treaty of peace"
declared Senator Borah, there will be
one vote against the treaty of peace
~'Let me tell you another thing.
There is no principle of self determi-
nation in the league constitution. And
| if a principle of self determination
is written into it, Great Britain will
| never sign it
| Our dream of world democracy
. may go astray most easily in this mat
| ter. Instead of Americanizing Europe
| this plan proposes to Europeanize
America.
Wants People TO Have Say,
1.-THE war is over now, thank God
and free speech is restored to the
| American people. That freedom oil
speech will Co e into good play when
| the United States is asked to adopt a
| policy which does not provide for dis
| armament, but for armament Every
nation on earth is it's own judge OF
military policies and no one intends tC
| disarm."
/ Senator Borah urged that if the pro-
posal is sent to the United States fol
| ratification a referendum vote be held
that the individual voter may de-
termine the nation's course.
Then" he said, You will go into q
booth where your conscience and your
God will guide your course"
Senator Borah's speech was fire.
quently interrupted by applause. Per
sons who anticipated a roughing fol
appointed. The opposition to the
fled terms and without entering into
|