The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-07-18
BRANDEGEE SHOWS SPIRIT OF
'76

rs
Washington, July 1.-THE repub-
lican Publicity Association, thru its
president, Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jr.,
today gave out the following state
ment from its Washington headquar-
tiers:
"Americanism will not lack for Wig
orous prtection as long as the senate
contains such members as Hon. Frank
B. Brandegee of Connecticut. He does
not mince words in stating his posi-
ton on the league of nations, and his
determination to stand to the last in
unfolding the oath he took to defend
the constitution. In a statement re-
Gently issued by Mr. Brandegee he
uses the following language:
"This country has had three critical
Shocks
First, achieving its indepen-
dence.'
"fSecond, framing its constitution.
"Third, preserving the union un-
der the constitution
"'We are now confronted with the
fourth crisis. 1t is, Shall we preserve
our independence or surrender it?'
az am an American and nothing
else. I am a United States senator
and a member of the foreign relations
committee. l have taken oath to pre-
serve and protect the constitution of
the United States and, so help me
God, am going to do it. / thoroly
realize the responsibility which rests
upon me and l propose to use my best
judgment that God has given me
without fear or favor
"'The so-called covenant for the
league of nations which the executive
has made, is, in my mind, hideous
monstrosity. l shall not vote for it
until hell freezes over, and l think
that event is somewhat remote. | am
not going to be buncoed by any lingo
about Humanity or the moral forces
of the world or voices in the air." |
am for upholding the American flag
and not for hauling it down. l am
for the stars and stripes, and not for
the milk white flag of neutral inter-
nationalism. / am for the America
of George Washington. believe
A,..a,,;oo oo,, host ea,.x,a I,uYo a pit,, hxr
minding its own business. l am not
ready to cast this country into the
witches cauldron of international
complications. Are we to tax our
people, conscript our boys and fight
the battles of the world to please
somebody's idealism? | am utterly
opposed to the league and in favor
of peace. l do not believe it will be-
come a party issue, but l will leave
the republican party the minute it
stands for the league.
"n giving utterance to those
trenchant expressions of patriotism
Senator Brandegee knows that he but
Echoes the sentiments of an over
whelming majority of his New Eng
land constituents. They have inher-
tied the blood of distinguished revo-
lutionary ancestors, who did not hest
tate and fight for their independence
from the oppression of the most pow
erful nation in the world. The coun-
try is now threatened with coercion
by force of arms unless we are willing
to surrender the independence won
by the fathers of the country, and
consent to slip back into the condition
of subservience from which the revo-
luton rescued us. The odds against
us now are great, but not so heavy as
those that confronted the Colonists.
The world never saw more virile cour-
age than was exhibited by those
great men. Is it possible that the
American quality of patriotism is not
of as high a standard now as it was
in 1872"