The sun., 1919-03-15
LEAGUE IS GIANT
OF AUT0CRACY,
ASSERTS BORAH
Covenant Is a Menace to
Control of the People,
He Declares.
PEACE THE FIRST THING
Troy Audience Told Of Perils
TO e. S. in the Present
Constitution.
PEACE THE FIRST THING
Special D.snatcA 10 TIE suS.

Constitution.
Special Despdtch TO TIE SuS.
TRor, N Y. March. 14.-United States
Senator William F. Borah Of Idaho. en-
ergetic champion Of Americanlsm against
Internationalism, was enthusiastically
applauded here tonight when he exposed
the weaknesses and perils contained in
and threatened by the proposed constitu-
ton for a League of Nations. His analy-
sis OF the suggested covenant emphasized
the likelihood OF the formation OF a
more powerful autocracy than ever be-
fore existed in the history of the world.
such world control, he pointed out, as
might be utterly fatal TO democratic
institutions.
Whatever the pretenses OF the pro-
posed constitution may be, It actually
proposes, Senator Borah stated, TO turn
over the destinies of the United States
TO a star chamber council the majority
of whom would DO Europeans and
Asiatics. He noted a definite threat
TO the influence and control OF the people.
Demands hmm cdiate Peace.
The Senator's speech gained applause
also for its iusistence on an immediate
peace and the settlement of the great
International problems of the present be-
fore the proposition of world peace
league is worked out. The Senator said
in part:
There is feature OF this proposed
constitution which it seems to me the
people at large ought to scrutinize with
yigilant and Jealous care. This proposed
constitution contemplates placing in the
hands of nine men, five of whom will
control, the power TO deal with the most
vital concerns Of a people. And yet
there is not. from the preamble to the
close of the last article, any provision
or any method by which the people can
be heard. There is no provision by
which they can check or modify or
control in any way the action of those
European diplomats sitting behind closed
doors in Europe. Is that the fruit of
these twenty centuries of struggle for
democracy?
People Left PowerIess.
There are no more vital questions 30
far as the interests of these masses are
concerned than the questions with which
the league will have to deal, and yet the
masses are as powerless to control the
situation as were the subjects of the
dead Gar of Russia. The principle OF
self-determinatlon, the rights of small
pations, tine power of the people to choose
their own destiny, to set up their own
FORM OF government are as absent from
this proposed constitution as from the
constitution of Prussia. challenge any
advocate of this constitution to point
out a single instance in which those who
pay the taxes and fight the battles and
suffer and die have voice
l read in yesterdays dispatches how
the censorship of France 10 being used
and how the cables are being prostituted
to keep the people of France from know
Ing what is going on among the people
OF the United States and to keep the peo-
pie OF the United States from knowing
what Is going on by the people of France.
Censorship on the News,
What the common people Of France
think Of this League of Nations we are
not permitted to know. What the people
OF the United States are SAYING and
doing in regard to the league the people
OF France are not permitted to know.
censorship is invoked in Franco as au-
tocratic, as unconscionable and as yio-
IatlVe of the fundamental principles OF
1ree government as any censorship ever
established under any dictator in the last
200 years. The only news which is per-
mftted to go over the cables is the news
OF officials, the sayings and doings OF
those who are now disposing OF the des-
unies OF the different peoples of the
world
This was peoples war, let's make
IL a peoples peace. Let the people of
the different nations interested exchange
views and know concerning one anoth-
er's feelings in regard to it.
We have just passed through a Pc
Rod in this country in which every at
tempt was made to control the press and
suppress free speech. Many leople were
willing TO tolerate these things when our
republic was in jeopardy, although I am
one of those who believed that the guar
antee of free speech found in our Con-
stitution is as sacred as any principle of
free government and should never be de-
MED to people.
ID to the People to Insist.
But now that the war is over let the
people return 70 their own and insist
upon information. They should distrust
any man or class of men who deny II to
them and distrust any proposition which
they are not permitted to pass upon. If
you are denied information and denied
an opportunity TO be heard while this
league is being framed, what will be the
situation after it Is framed? After the
executive council. heither selected nor
Q. lcted by the people, nor responsible to
~ people, convenea what voice will
niUse who mast bear the burden and the
heat of the day have in controlling these
''ast 'Lffairs7
There are two things the American
people ought TO insist upon: First. that
we have the terms of peace with the en-
envy quickly and conclusively settled. so
that these vast expenses may be ended
and that orr soldiers In Europe may re-
turn home. Second, that the League Of
Nations be treated as a separate and
distinct proposition thoroughly debated,
considered and finally voted upon by the
people before 1t is adopted.
"These are two plain, simple proposi-
lions founded in conscience and justice
due the voters of this country and to
the men and women who have suffered
and sacrificed in this war"