The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-07
BORAH RIDDLES
WILSON'S PLEA


said, under the shadow of your great
institution Of learning to speak upon the
question I shall discuss tonight. But 7
remember that once every four years
there comes a national election In which
ell OF us. the great and the small, the
rich and the poor. the learned and the
unlettered. alike are vitality interestel J,
and on those occasions we all come down
to common level at the polls. This
year the preeminent issue is the pro-
posed sacrifice OF American sovereignty.
I shall therefore discuss this question
with you with the same freedom and
candor habitually employ and I shall
expect to be credited with the same sir
cerity.
There has been a feeling In past dec
AIDES that matters affecting our foreign
policies should not be discussed In the
open. do not agree with that view.
believe these questions ought to be
discussed before the masses OF our people
with the same freedom and sincerity
with which we debate our domestic
affairs. 1 therefore make no apology
for discussing them. even in this great
seat of learning.
Welcomes "SoIemn Referendum. -
IT observe that our friend, the Presi-
dent, has said he thought 1t matter for
congratulation that the time is now APP
preaching for the determination Of this
issue by what he has called a great and
solemn referendum. 1 Join with our
President in that congratulation. but
beg to remind him that il 1t had not
been for a certain stalwart little band
CT irreconcilables in the Senate. that
issue upon which the people Is about to
register its will decisively In a great
and solemn referendum could never have
been so sharply drawn
AS he has done In some Of his earlier
speeches Senator Borah quoted effect
lively from Washington's farewell ad-
dress. in which the Father of his Coun-
try warned America against the perils of
entangllng alliances with European
Powers. European intrigues and Euro
pean aspirations.
There are those in these days" he
said. who seem to think Washington's
farewell address obsolete and out of
date. But l think those persons belong
in the class who really regret that their
ancestors ever came to this country at oil.
now as 1t was 125 years ago. And 1t Is
one the observance of which Is paet
is just as essential as Is the obervance
of the doctrines voiced in the Declare
ton of Independence. l do not believe
our nation could survive for half GEN.
fury longer If we should divorce our
selves from the injunctions laid down In
Washington's farewell address,
I'VE hear constantly urged in this
campaign the argument that we have
become a great commercial nation, that
we cannot remain isolated. but must
barter and trade with other peoples.
But II was not against commercial
treaties and alliances that Washington
warned us. nor is it against them that
we in this campaign contend. for we can
indulge freely In such pacts without for
feiting one iota Of our national SOW
ereignty.
THE same things are tormenting
Europe to-day as tormented 1t In the
time of Washington-social antipathias,
political boundaries. internal jealousies
and chickering's. You have only to READ
your daily press dispatches to realize
II. In such consideration 1t never will
be safe for America to join her destiny
to that of Europe. The London Times
says twenty-nire wars are now being
carried on in Europe. and / find
that thirteen of them are being waged