The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-01
BORAH STRIKES OUT ALONE

Senator Borah's latest gesture with
respect to the world court has all the
appearance of tossing a hat into q
circle. Now the only probable reason
for hat-throwing on the part of Borah
would be political. Therefore, it is
intimated by his friends that Mr..
Borah will oppose Mr.. Harding for
the Republican nomination. When
friends intimate, then others may
confidently predict. That Mr.. Borah
will be candidate seems now beyond
peradventure of doubt. His chief
plank will be opposition to the world
court as proposed by Mr.. Harding. His
substitute will be world couI. as pro
posed by Mr.. Borah. The senator from
Idaho, not to mention Europe, points
out to his fellow-citizens, that is to
say, voters, that the Harding plank
is drifting in the direction of the
League of Nations. Mr.. Borah will
launch his plank from the other side
of the island, will equip it with sail
and rudder, and head it in the exactly
opposite direction. However, any
body but Mr.. Voliva will admit that
two craft sailing continuously in ex-
actly opposite directions will event
ually meet.
Mr.. Borah is unfortunate in his
choice of an issue. The American
people are not going to the death with
man who offers a substitute. The
senator from Idaho, nevertheless, is
an adroit helmsman, and he has al
ready arranged to give the American
people a little excursion as prelimi-
nary to the main voyage. This excur-
sion depends upon the consent of
David Lloyd George. Mr.. Borah has
challenged the doughty Welshman to
mortal debate on the subject of the
world court and the League of Ma
tions. The rounds are to be fought
in the chief cities of the United States.
Thus it is plain to see that Borah is
a shrewd advertiser. Perhaps if he
were to make merely speaking tour
of the country he would gain the ear
of hundreds. But if he takes Lloyd
George along as an added attraction
it is certain that the halls will not hold
the throngs that would gather. The
plan would popularize his subject as
nothing else would do. Mr.. Borah
may be tending forlorn hope, but he
knows how properly to illuminate it
and hold it up to public attention.
To the thoughtful, Mr.. Harding's
vision appears to be the keener and
his plank a more reliable craft. The
presidents arguments in behalf of the
world court are broad and statesman
like. They appeal to the intelligence
of a wide number of people. When
ever possible, Mr.. Harding avoids dis
cussion Of the League of Nations but
stresses the Importance of the world
court. In that he shows much fore
sight, for If he should, through some
remote circumstance, be reelected,
he knows very we'll that changing
thought may counsel changed adj
ministrative attitude towards even the
league. Perhaps the next administra-
ton, regardless of its political COM
plexion, will be obliged to favor our
membership in the league. 1t would
be very ungraceful for the then chief
executive to be forced to swallow gal
Ions of prediction argument against
such course.
Although all this is trouble for the
Republicans, the Democrats do not
find it without elements very consol-
ing. Mr.. Borah is not the only cause
of Republican dissension. There is
Hiram johnson, who is equally indie
pendent and who already has record
of having bolted the party on for
mer momentous occasion. There are
the "Progressives," who have recently
met in what many regard as the first
movement towards government owner
ship and operation of the railroads.
These Progressives are stubborn peo-
pie, and the Old Guard are equally
stubborn. Government ownership to
the Old Guard is treason to the party.
If the Republicans split, the fight is
lost ere ever it is begun.