Evening star., 1933-02-23
BORAH is OPPOSED
TO u. s. DICTATOR
Believes Need Is Program
and Policy to Be Executed by
President and Congress.
BY the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
Most emphatically, Senator Borat
does not believe in a dictator for the
United States to deal with the present
economic situation.
Instead, he thinks that what is need
ed is a program and a policy to be
executed by the President and Congress
under existing constitutional powers.
The Idaho Republican expressed his
views in an outSpoken letter yesterday
to M. c. Nigel, president of the Ameri-
can Silk Spinning Co. of Providence.
Nigel Suggested Dictatorship.
Nigel had suggested to Borah that he
propose. If he mad courage" enough
that President-elect Roosevelt be given
"dictatorial powers under the Constitu-
Pm" during the economic emergency
Replying, the Idahoan asserted that
II Congress ever granted dictatorial
power he would expect Roosevelt to
''f1lng 1t back in the chattering teeth of
a puS1llanimous Congress with the re-
mlnder that he was the President of the
United States and not its dictator"
Both the Senate and House have ap-
proved proposal empowering Roose-
welt to reorganize Government bureaus
unless Congress, by a two-thirds vote.
overrules his plans.
There is no niche or corner within
the fabric of this Government" he
added, within which Congress can
place dictator, and there is no way or
method by which Congress can confer
dictatorial powers without the cowardly
betrayal of its constitutional obligations
And beyond Congress is a Supreme
Court, which has not yet suffered an
attack OF this flabby Americanisn.
Unseen by Constitution Framers
Borah asserted further the Constitu-
tion trainers did not contemplate there
would ever come a time when the
American people would brook the pres
ence of a dictator or connive at the
bestowal upon any one of dictatorial
powers"
They were not of that breed of
men," he said, "and should hope that
If Congress should ever undertake to
confer dictatorial powers, they would
have at least a Spasm of virtue for a
sufficient length of time to enable them
to resign and permit their constituents
to elect men to fill their places"
Finally" Borah said, there is not
the slightest need of dictatorial powers.
There are ample powers within the
Constitution, ample authority within
the fundamental law, which will enable
the President and the Congress to do
all things which are necessary to be
done in order to meet this exigency and
deal with this great emergency.
1T is not the want of powers that is
involved it is the failure to use the
constitutional powers which we have.
THE bestowal of unconstitutional
powers would not help in the least un-
less there is program, a policy,
through and by means of which we
may deal with this situation. And if
there is such program and such a
policy, there are ample constitutional
powers to carry them out"
Haven't the Courage" =
Referring to Migels statement, eff
you have the courage" Borah said: Il
am frank to confess to you that /
haven't the courage to make any such
motion, to say nothing OF lingering
respect for our institutions and he
reditary prejudice in favor of the Con-
Stitution.
I'm regard to such an act, I recall
the words of woodrow Wilson, who said
in effect, when asked to do certain
thing that he did not have the courage,
he was afraid of the judgment of pos
terity.
There may be at this time number
of weaklings of men who want to shirk
responsibility, escape their own obliga-
tions, but if there be such, they will be
supplanted in time; posterity Will
render a Judgment of condemnation
which I am frank to confess roos me
Of my courage"