The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-23
Idaho Senator in Denouncing
Invasion of Ruhr Appeals to
Administration to Enter a
Protest to France to Ward
Off IndescribabIe Suffering
SILENCE AND INACTIVITY
OF HUGHES DRAWS FIRE
Recalls Principles as Enun-
ciated by Woodrow Wilson
Being Responsible For Ger
many'S Defeat end Later on
Leading to Full Disarmament
BY Associated Press


WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-French
policy in the Ruhr was attacked as
ruthless militarism, a violation of
the armistiee serms and the treaty
of Versailles aid an offense against
humanity in ltatement issued to-
night by Senator Borah of Idaho. a
republican member of the Senate
foreign relations committee. Sena-
tor Borah also criticised the state
department in what he said was its
policy of silence and inactivity and
declared the United States should
at least declare its attitude by for
mally protesting against the French
policy
This is situation" said sena-
tor Borah, ''in which the United
States cannot with honor Teinain ST.
lent. The first duty of a nation is
to protect its life when assailed.
and its highest honor and glory in
victory is to be just to a fallen foe.
1t is this rule which distinguishes
the savage from the civilized ma
ton.
1t was. American principles an
nounced by President Wilson upon
which the armistice was signed, and
1t was upon these principles that
Germany laid down her arms.
1T was our soldiers that made
possible the defeat and disarming
of Germany.
l. Recalls Pledges
according to these announcements
ana principles We declared officially
and many times that with the Ger.
man people, as a people. we had no
quarrel but feeling of sympathy
ana friendship. In other words. we
furnished the soldiers, the principles
upon which the armistice was based
winch resulted in disarming and rem
oerinS Germany helpless. and we also
maze definite and certain pledges as
70 the treatment of Germany. After
all that takes place and at a time
when Germany has been disarmed
ana rendered powerless, her territory
rs invaded, military rule is estab
iished, all of which will bring in its
wake indescribable suffering and
untold misery to the German peonIe
as a people, and in addition to that
great financial and economic loss To
our own people
Even before the invasion fool,
place this government had been ad-
vised by its own representatives
great suffering must obtain in Ger
many throughout the winter and
thousands of women and children
must die of starvation. The action
OF france aecentuated that condi-
ton.
In other words we see the Ger
man people turned over to the most
destructive and ruthless method of
militarsm, of arbitrary power and
we do not so much even as record our
protest Certainly we cannot be 81
lent under such circumstances. We
should, when we saw this thing com
lng-and ii has been perfectly an
parent for months that it was coming
have called a conference and sought
through honorable and peaceful
methods to avoid this crisis-to ad-
Just the economic problems involved
which would have also given us an
opportunity TO clear and positive our
views upon such policy such as now
obtains. But this we declined to do.
Urges Declaration
I'VE dld not even, as a matter of
fact, suggest to France in a way that
France felt bound to take notice, any
plan whatever. We remained silent
and inactive and without policy or
a program when the interest of hu-
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