The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-06-27
OPEN LETTER.
Caldwell, Idaho, June Is, l9l

Hon. William L. Borah,
The Senate, Washington, u. I.
Dear Mr.. Borah-A coward is
thing to be despised; and the write
OF this letter feels he will ever b
branded coward if he docs not pub
!icly state 10 you his conviction--tha
your opposition to the League OF Ma
tons pan as now approved by In
teace Conference i s al advised. ii
must also state that it is ms trim con
vicnon that you are not voIcing tn
real sentiment and conviction OF tn
people of the state OF Idaho.
Were this an ordinary matter thu
letter would not be written; but 1t 4;
no ordinary matter, 1t IS OF supreme
moment; and one upon which every
true American citizen should have Z
deep and unqualified convection. The
man who has such conviction anc
does not express it is greater cow.
ard than the deserter in the trenches
/ brush aside those matters OF al
legged Inconsistency; of the right OF
your august body to its claimed equal
voice IN treaty negotiations; Of
whether or not Mr.. WIlson gave no
tice OF his present CLAIMS OF power IN
advance, which he did; and OF wheth-
er or not this same course has ever
been adopted and approved by the
leaders and fathers of your own great
political party, which it has. These
things are beside the issue.
The nations of the earth are as
sembled together under greater inspi-
ration to just action and right con-
clusion than ever before in history.
They have agreed upon the League of
Nations covenant. You declare your
self against /;
The argument most repeated is that
America should not guarantee the
territory of Czecho-Slovakia. That
does not state the whole case. Amer
lea alone and sinple-handed does not
undertake to guarantee the integrity
of the territory of any small nation;
but by this covenant America and
England, France, Italy and all the
other signatory powers together agree
to respect and protect such individual
nation. And before this ever could
possibly become the single-handed
burden of America the honor and in
tegrity of old England must fail, and
the honor of France, the beautiful
France. must trail in the dust, and so
Italy and so Jaoan and the South
Americas; and so every nation of the
earth who claims its national en-
blem stands for truth.
On the other hand, Senator Borah,
what substitute do you offer that will
or may lessen the danger of warfare?
By and large, every idaho boy who
went to war carried with him the
great impulse that he went not be-
cause he wanted to go, not for the
glory or gain. He went with the high
hope and impulse that his going
would free this old world from such
horrors as then beset all nations and
all peoples. This I speak from some
knowledge, for / was daily in contact
with these boys in the most intimate
way at the time of their going.
Three days ago an airship SPAWNED
the Atlantic. Another war unre-
strained and these same airships will
drop fire and death and disease in
the utmost parts of the earth. The
law of Idaho declares may not carry
q gun concealed on my person; that
l may not harm any man. Why, I
ask you, sir, should not the law of
the world prevent any nation from
ever again lying in wait for a period
OF years to hurl at some opportune
moment its engines of destruction a.
the throat of mankind?
The present covenant, I understand
does not undertake to 90 the full
length of disarmament IN its man.
dates; but it goes farther than any
thing yet proposed. and It embodies
the assembled faith and wisdom of
the nations in this direction. Ard
woulo you alter or amend it, This
was suggested when the pre- scrt con-
stituiion of our own beloved A--erica
was presented to the states fc- rati-
fication. And in answer President
Washington, whom you have quoted
SO freely, statedsthat in his o,inicn
second constitutional convention
could not do better; but would ac-
complish less than the first. The
great primal impulse would be dissi-
pated. and the avenues oprnal for
srtater claims of individual interest
and advantage.
For these reasons I am COMPELLED
to oppose your present attitude: and
Il is nv firm conviction. though there
Is eminent opinion to the contrary
that the great heart of the people OF
Idaho desires an demands that Tie
covenant as it comes from the Peace