Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-07
BORAH WOULD
PUT LEAGUE UP
TOPEOPLE'SVOTE
Demands Question of Amer
ica's Entry Be Decided
by Prebiscite
By Associated Press


New York, March 7.-opposition
in varying degrees to the League OF
Nations. as outlined in the tentative
covenant brought home by President
Wilson was voiced by Senator'S
Borah, OF Idaho; Reed. of Missouri.
and Thomas, of Colorado. in ad-
dresses before the Society OF Arts
and Science here last night.
Senator Borah, declaring that
those who have wrecked Europe
for 800 years have absolute control
of the proposed league of nations,
demanded that the question OF
Americas entry into the league be
decided by plebiscite of the people.
Senator Thomas urged that the
formation of world league be post
poned until after the conclusion OF
peace and that a league plan then
be worked out calmly ana in the
light of experience gained from the
peace settlement"
Calls 1t Automatic
Senator Reed declared that the
construction of the league was "es-
sentially autocratic," that the Amer
lCan pGOplS hdu OSClA
ing il, and that it was high time
patriots aroused themselves to the
hidden and sinister purposes OF the
undertaking
Calling attention to the fact that
the United States would have put
one vote in the executive council OF
the proposed league, while Great
Britain, France. Italy and Japan
each would have one vote, Senator
Borah declared that IF there arose
a conflict between European poll
cies and American policies, there
would be one Asiatic vote, three Eu-
ropean votes and but q single Amer
lean vote"
THE power of war or peace" he
declared, would rest with five dip
lomats. three of them European, sit
ting behind closed doors.
Asserting he had been asked what
he would offer in place of the lea
que, he declared he had to offer
the intense nationalism of wash
ington, of Monroe, of Lincoln, OF
Theodore Roosevelt"
Should Live Own Life
America should live her own
life" he continued. II would be
willing to take Woodrow Wilson'S
arm and walk arm in arm with him
as William II. Taft did here the
other night, il he would stand by
this declaration which he made after
America entered the war:
when we go out from this pres
ence we ought to take with us that
idea that we are devoted to the pur-
pose of enabling America to i've
her own life, to be the most just, the
most progressive, the most honor
able nation in the world
Senator Thomas said he had stud
led the proposed league plan pre-
disposed to enroll himself in its
favor, but had found himself unable
to do so.
He was in favor, he said. of some
plan which would make wars more
infrequent, if not impossible" but
he regarded the proposed league as
filled with dangers to peace ~
This is a commitment to new
national policy. more easily made
than abandoned" he asserted. Il
believe in the sanctity of treaty OBJ
legation"
Opposed to Japan
One of the most serious draw
backs in the proposed plan. he de-
clared, was the fact that Japan,
which he characterized as a virtual
autocracy, was a charter member.
Although the question of lifting i'm
migration restrictions had been drop
ped by Japan. Senator Thomas pre-
dicted that this question would con-
tinually be revived in the league
with embarrassment to the United
States.
"Japan's ideals are not our ideals, II
he declared. with such mixed
membership, I can see only disaster
ahead"
Another provision which Senator
Thomas held forth as dangerous
was that for international labor set
Elements.