Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-08-19
BORAH VOICES
OPPOSITION To
PEACE LEAGUE:
Senator, in Speech Before
Idaho County Audience,
calls It League for War
Saw Pact Is Butt on -Eu-
ropean Standards; Quotes
from Washington's Address

from Washington's Address
Declaring the league Of nations COW
enant. as it has been presented to
the L. S. senate for ratification, is
not a league for peace, but a league
for war, William e. Borah, u. S. SEN
ator from Idaho, addressed an audi
ence which filled the auditorium Of the
odd Fellows hall in Grangeville
Saturday night The audience came
from all parts of Idaho county.
Senator Borah was introduced by
John p. Eimers, chairman of the Ida
no county Republican organization. The
Cowboy band played in the street
and later in the hall,prior to the
senator S appearance.
FOR OPEN DISCUSSION
Senator Borah, in opening, said it
was his opinion that the league of
nations covenant should be taken be-
fore the American people for a
thorough discussion before definite ac-
ton is taken on it by the senate, and
that he had no apology to offer for
presenting the questions involved di-
rectly to the people.
"'The foreign policy of this govern
ment has been established and main
tanned unbroken for 1874 years, the
coming September, said the sena-
tor. cit was established by those
who established the government,
those who opposed any alliance
with foreign powers, who believed in
no interference with foreign affairs.
Arguments were made in those days
similar to those heard today, but
Washington announced the policy of
neutrality and maintained it to the
close of his administration.
Here the senator read such extracts
from George Washington IS farewell ad-
dress as would most appropriately suit
the tenor of his argument.
"This policy is said by some to
be now outgrown, he continued.
~ think it great document
now and that it will continue
to be a great document, so long
as We wish to continue as a free, self
governing people. 1t is claimed that
changed conditions demand that we
change our foreign policy. Washing
ton warned against political, not COM
mercial relations with foreign ma
tions. The theories of European gov
ernments are just as distinct from our
our own today as they were 1874 years
ago. Every aggressive nation which
is now carrying on war is a member
of the league of nations, in violation
Of the solemn pledge that they made
less than one year ago.
Washington farewell address was
part of a scheme of a selfgoverning
nation. He would leave to the Amer
lean people themselves, when the cri-
Sis arose, to decide what they should
do. When this covenant of n league
of nations was put before the
u S. senate it was rs plain
as the MONDAY sun that it in
volved the surrender of a portion
of the sovereignty of the people of
the republic Our forefathers who
organized this government disagreed
about many things, but with reference
to the forming of a foreign policy
there was no difference of opinion.
All of the great statesmen of that
lme agreed that they should adopt
and adhere to this foreign policy.
CHANGE IN 1915
cit was not until 1915 that any
party had failed 10 maintain it.
predict that any party that fails to en-
dorse it will 90 down to defeat. All
presidents have supported it and the
Judgment and convictions of all great
Americans who have occupied a place
IN our government have upheld it.
Let us see what is now offered in the
place Of this policy.
The new scheme was proposed at
the close of the war on the theory
mat European nations would accept
our standards. I will now present,
WIN regard to this, four of five prop
ositions.
81 First it is built on European
standards, not on ours.
Second, it is not a scheme for peace
al al, but is league for war;
Third, under the league, European
70 it.
Fifth the people have absolutely
No. voice in it. There is not a single
pllnelple of democracy in this league
rom beginning TO end. Tt depends
on military power for its operation.
NOT ATTACK WILSON,
am not attacking the league that
resident Wilson went to Europe to
~, but the league that he brought