Arizona republican., 1922-04-23
BORAH SAYS
BONUS BILL
.BARTERS FOR
SOLDIER VOTE
Idaho Senator Says IF He
Voted For Bonus He
Would Be Bartering Pub
lie Funds For ''Vote"
ERepubIican a. p. Leased Wirel

WASHINGTON, April 22.-Senator
Borah. Republican. Idaho. states in
a letter to the Pocatello, Idaho. post
Of the American legion that if he
voted for the soldiers bonus bill it
would be a simple matter of barter,
in which / use the peoples money to
buy somebody's VOTE The letter
was in response to a telegram re-
ceived by the senator from the Poca-
tello post and was made public to-
night by him.
Il observe in your telegram" it
says, the threat which you implied
was as to future political punishment
It was wholly unnecessary for you to
make this threat. 1t reflected no
credit upon you, and it has had no
effect whatever upon me. When you
come to that fight in which you pro-
pose to inflict punishment you will
doubtless be able to say many things
in the way of censure upon my public
record.
But one thing neither you nor any
one else viii be able to say, and that
is that I ever sought to purchase po-
litical power by drafts upon the pub
lie treasury, or that I chose to buy
a continuation in office by putting
81 100000 upon the bended backs
Il haven't much respect for the
man who buys office, even though he
pays for it with his own money. But
the most Shiny creature which dis
graces American politics is the man
who buys office by paying for it with
appropriations out of the public
treasury and charges his venal po-
iitical obligations to the taxpayers.
IF thought this measure a proper
one. I could and would vote for it,
but believing with thousands of other
service men who have written me
that II is not q. proper one, II should
vote for it it would be a simple mat
ter Of barter in which ] use the peo-
pies money TO buy somebody's vote;
in which the account of my political
taxpayers.
"Of course, you understand that
have at all times supported and stand
ready to support any measure which
will help the disabled veterans"
At the outset of his letter Senator
Borah said he had taken his position
on the bonus after great considera-
tion and with much reluctance" he
added that ne understood perfectly
the criticism it would bring and "the
condemnation it would invite" but
believing that his position was a
rignteous one. he could hot change it.
-
LEGION REPLIES TO 6oRAH
BOISE, Idaho. April 22.-Replying
to Senator Borahs letter regarding
his stand on the bonus bill, the Poca-
teIIo post OF the American legion
charges in a second letter to the sen
ator that his record shows a studied
obstruction policy and declares his
efforts to be a guardian of the treas
ury would have been appreciated
when a $3,000,O00 appropriation was
made to save beneficiaTies of war
contracts from financial disaster be-
cause the war was Won before their
contracts expired. The letter, made
public in special dispatch to the
Idaho Daily Statesman, also charges
the senator with ignoring all indi-
vidual cases in which assistance was
requested for former service mem
Another letter from the senator to
the legion also was made public IN
q special dispatch from Washington
to The Statesman tonight in which
he denies having neglected disabled
veterans.