The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-07-12
Thursday July u. 1928
BORAH'S PLAIN TALK TO AMERI.
CAN LEGION MEN.

Senator Borah addressed the Amer
lean Legion post at Burnley last week,
and naturally ne touched upon the
question of the proposed bonus, or
adjusted compensation" for soldiers
who served in the world war Not all
American Legion men are in favor of
the bonus, but a very large majority
of them are IF we may accept the ex-
pressions of the national encampment
as representing the prevailing scnti-
ment of the membership of the organ
ization. and also the active campaign
being made by Commander Owsley
and his predecessor in support of the
bonus. Senator Borah is one of the
few men in public life who from the
start have opposed the bonus. both
from the standpoint of principle and
from an economic standpoint pointing
out that it would add "a crushing load
TO the already overburdened taxpay-
ers. The candor with which the Ida
no senator has defined his position on
the bonus question, both in the senate
and on the platform in various parts
of the country has made him the
special target of spokesman for the
American Legion who are endeavor-
ing to force the measure through CON
gress. While regretting that he has
been impelled to take position in OPP
position to the veterans of the world
war for whom he expresses the great
est admiration, the attacks of his crit
les have had no influence whatever
upon Senator Borah. who continues to
hew to the line regardless of where
the chips fan This, il may be re-
marked i'm passing. is rather discon-
certing to those who insist that the
senator's course is being shaped with
the view to mrthering his political in
terests, for certainly no sane man
whose first concern was his political
fate would deliberately antagonize the
World war soldier vote
But whatever may be ones views of d
the motives actuating Senator Borah.
Or ones opinion of the proposed sol
iier's bonus, there should be no divi-
sion of opinion regarding this courag-
sous, candid and altogether admirable
expression taken from Senator Borahs
speech to the American Legion post u
1t Burnley:
81 want YOU yomg men to know
that I am just as proud of your u
record as any one of your mill Ell
lions of admirers What you did d
or stood ready to do must at an ST
times command the admiration Of o..
every true lover of our country.
would like nothing better than TO VI
know that I possess i'm return your nc
friendship. There is no trouble al
which ] would not incur no SER n.
vice within what believe TO be
right that I would not render to
You. But this proposition of I'll
cash bonus is an wrong i'm princi- tn
pie wrong economically all wrong
to YOU and an wrong to the over
burdened taxpayers. can not
support it,
81 neither undevalue your
friendship nor underestimate your
political influence, but, it upon the
fields of France YOU had turned
and fled YOU would have despised
yourselves and would have been
despised by an your comrades II
! should turn my back upon pub
Tic duty. simply out of fear of poll
itical punishment. YOU and every
one would despise me Under no =
will thus pur- >,
chase my own infamy
II have spoken 20 you candidly
and as brave soldiers YOU viii at a.
least respect candor And while :,
DO not know when it will come.
nevertheless the time will come
when you win respect the position
take as righteous position"