The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-18
MIDWEST REJECTS !.
LEAGUE, SAYS BORAH.
Lodge Reservations Favored
by SIS. Per Cent. in Broad
a.. Section.
s..cial n.,parch 70 tn. srS.

Z. Special D6tpdfch 70 The SUM-
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17.A--F'iushed with
the confidence of victory IN sight sena-
tor Borah Qdaho) has returned to
washington from the middle West after
a Ave day campaign against the League
OF Nations covenant The masses Of the
West understand the situation. COM
pletely, in the opinion of the Senator.
Despite the flood Of pro-leasue propa-
ganda:. despite. the sentiment for the
President as q leader In the movement
for world peace, despite the embarrass-
ment Of many leaders OF thought among
preachers, educators and editors, through
too early committal to the league ideal,
the reaction Is at fullest flood. So far as
the middle West is concerned, the Presi-
dents battle is lost. Senator Borah be-
lives.
"A majority of the people OF the mid
die West have come to the conclusion
they do not want any League of Ma
lions at ALL" said Mr.. Borah tonight
II travelled for flve days, speaking In
Chicago, Omaha. Fort Dodge Iowa: Ce-
dar Falls Iowa, and Waterloo, Iowa. 1t
il my deliberate judgment, founded upon
the reflection of public opinion obtained
at the meetings as we'll as by CONVEX
sations with politicians and plain citi-
gems of both parties that the tide is
running strong against the idea OF the
United States becoming involved in the
league plan. am confident that not
less than IS per cent. Of the people OF
the broad section visited, II not an even
higher percentage, favor the Lodge
reservations to the league covenant just
as they were reported by the majority
vote Of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee"
Reception Pleases Borah.
Senator Borah was enthusiastic over
the reception accorded to himself and 70
Senator johnson, .(CaLl and Ito Senator
Mccormick (IlL). He was pleased par
ticularly because of the attendance and
the Wild enth1siasm displayed IN OMAHA
the home of Senator Hitchcock (Neb.)
who IL conducting the Presidents fight
for the, ratifcetiop Of the unamended
treaty and covenant IN tins senate He
said also the only support the league APP
parently was receiving in any part OF
the middle West was from Adminlstra-
ton members of the class to whom In
dependence of thought and action Is re-
garded as a mortal Gin.
There is no doubt" Senator Borah
continued, that the demonstration OF
straightout Americanism which the mid
die West Is giving is filling advocates OF
RATIFICATION with forepodings. For that
reason as well as for some others they
are now engaged in this frantic, wei
nigh desperate attempt to rush the
treaty through the Senate before the tide
OF opposition that Is sweeping across the
country carries them of their feet alto
gether.
Opposition Wins Applause.
"vociferous approval greeted every ex.
preston of opposition to the denationali.
zation features of the league covenant
In Omaha, for instance, the big crowd
stood to cheer for a full minute the dec
laration that the whole treacheroui
scheme of plunging the American people
into this so-called League OF Nation,
should be abandoned. In Iowa, too, the
| anti-league spirit was running Just a.
high as in Nebraska.
II judged all this not alone by the
enthusiastic crowds which damned our
meetings and their Endorsement of grow
ing sentiment which found everywhere
against the league and in favor Of
reservation II the league and the rest
OF the treaty are to be accepted at al
but from many conversations 1 had OF
trains and in hotels and elsewhere with
men who not only knew what they were
| talking about but who were obviously
| representative of the best and most In
telligent Americanism.
There Ia no mistaking the PROPOSE
| ton that the tide is running against tn,
league and that the disposition on the
| part of some to try to hasten ratifica
| ton Of the treaty. so that the Ameri
can people may be rushed into th'
league, is not meeting with popular ap
prevail There Is no desire for sucf
haste in the section / visited and M
apprehension that any harm may com,
through normal delays incident to ade
quate and thorough consideration.
THE people everywhere were saying
Give us the facts; we have, not hnt
them yet.' and they do not show an,
signs of that impotence or disapprova
| of the Senates course which is agitat
ing the Administration from the toI
downward and which charges that tn,
Senate's determination to give careful
and deliberate attention to the vas
problems involved in the treaty is al
unJustified effort to delay action"