Evening star., 1928-04-29
BORAH MAKES PLEA
FOR CLEAN POLITICS
Senator Warns Republicans
in First fre-Convention
Speech.
Rx the Associated pness

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. April 2s.-Wsrning Re-
publican party leaders that corruption
will be one of the outstanding issues
In the coming presidential campaign,
Senator Borah of Idaho declared here
tonight that party success is dependent
upon giving the people courageous
leaders, clean candidates, decent organ
izationS and a platform Of principles.
Give the voters these" he said in
an address at the annual dinner of
the Hamilton Club, and they will
demonstrate that the Republican party
belongs to neither crooks nor towards
refuse them these things and ! leave
the future TO tell its own story. In
such an event, do not seek TO pene-
trate the veil"
Ir delivering his first pre-convention
speech. Senator Borah. who has been
Endorsed for the Republican preSi-
Dental nomination by the Republicans
of his State, chose clean government
as his topic rather than the prohibi-
ton issue, an issue which he has given
notice he will carry to the country be-
fore the Kansas City convention.
Issue Is Corruption.
Corruption will undoubtedly be one
Of the issues of this campaign" he told
o large group of prominent Republicans
gathered around the dinner table. We
cannot avoid ii If We would and we
should not avoid it If we could. There
are those. Of course, who will charge
that the party has forfeited its rights
TO the confidence of the American
people In such an event there Will be
those who will retort by hunting out
the evidence to show that there are
corrupt Democrats.
The Greensboro scandal in New
York and the oil scandal will take their
place in campaign literature. Teapot
Dome and Tammany Hall will be
weighed against each other on the hus-
kings, and the voters will be urged to de-
eide between acute and chronic cor
ruption.
But I beg the Republican party to
believe that the issue in which the peo-
pie are interested is broader and deeper
The issue is, as they see 1t: Shall the
people have clean government and clean
politics: how is it proposed TO protect
the interest Of the people against the
domination of selfish and commercial
influences in the affairs OF government
and In the domination Of parties. The
improper use of money in politics pre-
serfs q problem as broad and deep and
vital as representative democracy 1t
self, and the people know 1t.
Fencing Opposed.
Partisan fencing will not satisfy
them. Purity of the ballot and In
teeytty of ofHcials are the beginning
and tie end OF popular government.
without these the people are disfran-
cfaised and, sooner or later, become the
victims Of exploitation and oppression
and this they know. The fight Tor
clean government is a fight for free
government. This the people perfectly
Understand.
ssThe issue is here. It is no ordinary
situation. The future Of our party
turns upon how We propose TO meet 1t.
Timidity has no place in such ngnt.
silence is accessory after the crime.
Retention Of corrupt funds while Talk
ing about clean politics is an insult 10
the intelligence of the voter. We need
not have the least uneasineSs ABOUT sup
por1 from the people. They VIII re-
spo11d 10 any sincere and fearless ef-
fort TO lift the Republican party 70 the
level Of the demands OF the hour.
81 would not overlook the great ques-
tions which make for our material wei
fare. Our tax laws. our revenue laws
economy IN government. the rehabii-
tafion Of the farm. the control of our
rivers. the STAYING Of the growth OF
bureaucracy, arbitrary as Fascism. oe-
rnnraliz,ng as communism, the con-
servaaion Of the Nations natural
wealth. coal, oil. power. All these are
of great moment and Of great IN
fnreSt 70 the American people
but l would place above them ali
in the platform and in the program
and in the purposes Of the party, as
fIrst in innainence and first IN impor-
tance, a pure ballot, clean Govern
rnent and the integrity OF the Consul
tz1ttor under which We live"