Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-11
Thousands Cheer Senators Borah
and Johnson, Who Speak at
Chicago in Answer to Presi-
dents Addresses
NO MINCING OF WORDS
President in Violation of Word and
VIII Of People Seeks to Impose His
Arbitrary VIII on the Nation. De-
clnres Senator johnson

Chicago, Sept. 1O.-Crowus tonight in
vain besieged the Auditorium theatre
where republican senators began their
western speaking tour in answer to
President Wilson's demands for uncond-
! tional acceptance or total rejection of
the peace treaty and League Of Nations
covenant. Before eight o'clock, the hour
for opening the speaking, the theatre
was filled and thousands of persons were
left In the streets.
| The thousands within and without had
come to hear Senators William f. Borah
of Idaho, Hiram w. johnson of California
and Medil Mccormick of Illinois, the lat
| ter presiding at the meeting expound
their views Of the peace treaty and
league covenant and reply to President
Wilson's utterances on his swing around
the country.
Senator Johnson Of California, In his
speech tonight. said In part:
THE opening sentence of the President
at Columbus in his memorable swing
around, the circle struck with you as with
me responsive and sympathetic chord.
| I have for a long time chafed at the
confinement Of Washington he said and
as we contemplate the extraordinary
rigors Of a White House existence, the
silent suffering there for the long period
Of month and half. as we visualize
his inability to communicate to the coun-
try the thoughts of which he says his
| heart was so full, as we view the en-
forced restraint during this awful month
which made It impossible for him from
the nations capital to report to his fel-
low citizens, we welcome enthusiastically
his present trip, and breathe a sigh of
relief that the Confinement in Washing
| ton is at least No "a rily a an apd
| You have read doubtless as I have,
his various addresses. what he terms
his report to his fellow countrymen con-
cerning those affairs Of the world which
now need to be settled You have
searched. doubtless. as I have; yearn-
ingly and longingly for that report of
which he speaks and you may have dis
! covered as fear l have. that his report
apparently has degenerated into rather
| Incorporate and harsh criticism. and
irritable and sometimes abusive charac-
] terizations.
| we may charitabiy ascribe the Pres-
dents condition to his long confinement
of month at Washington Of which he
| complains and to the absence of that
| ready and subservient agreement which
he demands for his most cryptic express
sions and his most mysterious acts.
THE crisis In the affairs Of the repub-
lie, however is so grave that while we
would not yield expression to the hot
| indignation we feel and while we would
accord to all our opponents the full meas
| ure OF good faith which they deny us.
yet nevertheless we would speak plainly
and without ambiguous phrases or mys-
ticai or veiled illusions point the ma
tion's peril.
!
ana OF the Will Of the American people
is seeking to impose his arbitrary will
on the nation. He is asking us to hand
American destiny over to the secret
councils Of Europe. It is the sworn
| duty of the senators of this nation to
uphold the Constitution, to keep America
| American.
| When he spoke of bringing our SOL
diers back Americans rallied to his sun-
port. When he spoke of self-determina J..
ton OF nations the American people rail-
lied to him Immediately. But all the
Things he has promised and sworn TO
| accomplish have either been scrapped bv
the secret councils at Paris which bas
| destiny in its own hands or by its own
bad faith"
mo two men who wrote that treaty.
| can agree now as to what it means "
| said Senator Borah.
I'VE in the Senate want to construe
that treaty. if that is possible. The
| President says that the treaty assures
peace. Well, in 1916 he said we must
elect him for he would keep us out
| of war. few months later we were
In the war. I don't believe much in
prophets.
| II don't want to go into a league
|
the issue. Now. I am particularly
anxious to find way out of 1t IL
| we must go in. That is what the Sen
| ate wants to do nova reservation
which will provide a method of with.
draw.
| do any of you want to go into a
league that you can't get out of"
All over the hall there were cries OF
mo. no."
rs there an American who wants a
| foreign nation to say when and where
| the Monroe Doctrine shall apply %
went on the speaker and there were
cries of no.
| Prolonged cheers greeted his strict
ures on the presence of American troops
in Siberia and there was prolonged cheer
ing when he asserted that one Of the Sem
ate's differences with the President was
the formers insistence on an amendment
to the League of Nations plans which
would make it impossible to send Amer
lean boys to fight anywhere except by
order OF their own government.
The Interruptions grew more frequent
and excited as the senator proceeded
When he spoke Of the power in the hands
of the President there were cries of Take
it away from him." catcalls. boos and
| cheers.
Before we talk of that let's see to II
that he Is not given more power" shouted
the Idaho senator as soon as he could
make himself heard.
The audience rose and cheered wildly.
"They want us to sign on the dotted
line: they say our amendments take
Time" went on the senator, and n spec
tator called out: 1T took Wilson six
months"
yes" said the speaker taking the cue
"and II took George Washington seven
wears to gain the Independence from
George III that they now want to give
back to George ""