The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-26
.BORAH TEARS TAFT'S
PATCH FOR LEAGUE
Says Reservations or Interprc-
tations Would Be Useless
to America.
PARALLEL IN q. s. COURT
Ex- Presidents Charge Of Par
tisanship in Debate Is
t, Denied.
IN U. s. COURT
sprr,ar perputrn to rnn sur.

United states would not be able TO rely
on the efficacy of any reservations or
interpretations mads in connection with
| treaty ratification, Senator Borah
| (Idaho) made reply to-day to the let
tiers of former President Taft suggest
ing programme of Interpretations
Mr. Borah declared that the time had
como when America must decide whether
1t would stand by the policy Of WASH
ington and OF Monroe or abandon 1t.
Tho Washington ADMIRATION of keeping
aloof from foreign entarglements. he
| said, could not be abandoned without
also breaking down the Monroe Doc
tfine Of keeping Europe from complica-
| ton with American affairs. II America
becomes a participant in the affairs OF
Europe Inevitably Europe will be in
volved in the business OF the Western
continent
| It was near the close Of the session
when Mr.. Borah took the floor.
II am not willing that the weeks
business should close" he said without
some observations on the letter of the
former President dealing with the pend
| Ing treaty. 1 perhaps should not have
given attention to his observations re-
l.
/ but these observations were preceded by
a statement that to me Is simply
amazing.
Taft's Charges Are Taken Up.
The former President says that the
partisan attitudes of the Administration.
the Presidents appeal for the election
| Of a Democratic Congress last year, his
failure 10 appoint any Republican mern-
bers of the Peace Commission. and other
evidences of strictly partisan purposes
have created distrust of the Adfnints-
tration on the ground of its entire par
| tisanship which Is shared by the people
and which he suspects is influencing the
consideration of the treaty here The
| former President bases his conclusion
that opposition to the League and the
treaty arises from personal antagonism
\ to the President on matters that IN fact
occurred after this opposition had de-
veloped.
'Tt Is unfair and unjust to assume that
because Of personal antipathy between
| the President and Senators men would
| take positions on so great question as
| this. a question which we are assured
| involves the decision between the peace
! of the world on the one side and the in
| tegrity Of American institutions on the
other.
During the long weeks OF this debate
| such intimations by Senators In the heat
| OF the discussion might have been over
| looked, but to make such charges pub
| licly to the country challenges the in
| teiligence and the honesty of those who
! have opposed ratification of this pro-
gramme. / do not assume to speak for
| others, though imagine I do represent
the feelings of others when ! say that
i 4. -t.a -
| views and opinions of those who have
| voiced the opposition.
This antagonfsm was expressed long
before the events of partisan signifi-
| canoe to which the former President
refers. In January, 1917, tie debate be-
gan on the league and whether the
| United States should enter 1t or be in
volved IN any alliances with Europe.
At that time some who are now sup
porters of the Presidents policy de-
ciared that he had not yet determined
his position and was uncertain about
| the wisdom OF such involvments. But
there was an organization in this coun-
| try supporting this programme and
around the activities of that organiza
/ ton arose the first debate. The opposi-
| ton to such entanglements was then
based on the same fundamental princi-
pies as now. There have been no
| changes"
Same OLD Arguments Now.
Senator Borah briefly quoted from that
| first debate to show that the arguments
have not changed since that time. and
again observed that the things which Mr..
Taft regards as inspiring the present op-
position in the Senate had not at that
time happened. They did not happen
1 until two years later.
"And So" continued the Senator. II
Lsay to the ex-President that whatever
his reasons for advocating the league or
for changing his position with regard to
| IL the opposition here is based ON the
condition that the league will not pre-
! serve peace or our institutions That
opinion Is based on the study of funda-
mentals. not on any like or dislike for
the President.
| ''since that time there have been
periods when many now supporting the
! Presidents programme have been his Bit
1 ter antagonists. 1t would be well for the
| President somewhat to inform himself on
| the history of the country for the last
! few years and to devote perhaps less at
| tention to the exclusive promotion OF the
league.
II oppose the league on fundamental
| grounds. want no amendments or in
4
| forced into the position where 1 must
vote for reservations or lose my vote.
| / hope ultimately we shall reach the
| pclnt where a vote may be taken square
| ly for or against the league.
| ut is either fundamentally right or
| Fundamentally wrong. If II is right in
| principle ! do not expect that It should
! be perfect in the first instance. II II is
| wrong in principle to draw this country
into alliances with Europe 1t is wrong
whether you enter these alliances by de-
grees or all at once"
Talks mt His Opponents.
Turning dramatically toward the
| Democratic side Of the chamber Mr.. Bo-
rah addressed himself particularly to
his political opponents. saying:
"If you will stand against all reserva-
| tons; amendments or interpretations
you will get the chance to vote up or
down the league as II now stands. Wher
our Constitution was submitted there
we're men who believed they could have
reservations or interpretations In that
document.
virginia. New York. Rhode Island
and other States adopted resolutions
declaring that the powers given to the
Federal Government were given by the
people and could be revoked by the peo-
pie IL they should determine. There
| were reservations as to withdrawal, but
| when these were later invoked the
laa vyhoaa ooyananf tha Qtafas no