Evening star., 1934-07-05
Text of Borah Speech
Senator, in Forum address, Launches Fight on
Monopolies and Bureaucracy, Which He
Says Are Aggrayating Distress.

SDt6CLl IdoG lll6IlG III VAAS ave-
tional Radio Forum, arranged
Il >. by The Star and broadcast
over q National Broadcastlng
Co. network, follows
Friends and fellow citizens: This Is
our national birthday. 1 have been
asked to speak on subjects appropriate
to the occasion. 1 am happy to do
so. The Fourth of July is peculiarly
an American Institution. The occa-
sion has its privileges. One is to talk
of ourselves as a people without in
tending, or very much caring, about
offense to others.
Let us, therefore, take in a full
breath of pure American air and
speak our minds OH old-time naked
Americanism-naked and unaShamed.
Let us pay simple tribute to American
patriots, to American institutions, to
American character, to the flag and to
that concept of liberty and personal
freedom which finds its finest express
sion in the Declaration of Independ-
erce, its noblest embodiment in the
Constitution of the United States and
its highest practical exemplification in
the daily needs and lives of American
citizens, the real builders of American
civilization.
The great controversy in ITS
was really a controversy between a
government of law and government
OF men, between arbitrary power and
a government by The people. The
same controversy continues and viii
probably continue for all time to come.
That battle was fought out on Ameri-
4 30 I'D
theory of a government of law pre-
vailed, Great was the triumph at
Yorktown when we won our independ-
ence, but the victory would have been
fruitleSs had it not been for the trt-
umph at Philadelphia in framing q
constitution and in establishing a
government of law.
Arbitrary Power Out.
The supreme achievement in gov
ernmental affairs was when that task
at Philadelphia was completed and 1t
was found that nowhere in that mag
nifcent fabric of free government was
there a niche or corner in which was
lodged. or in which legally there could
ever be lodged, single lota OF arol-
trary power.
When we read the story Of other
revolutions, the setting up OF other
governments; when we read the bloody
tale of arbitrary power in current
events and then contemplate the scene
at Philadelphia-the serenity of pur-
pose, the unselfish devotion, the vision,
the wisdom, of those men-it all seems
akin to divine guidance. l have no
words to express your veneratlon or
my veneration for the men who led
IN public affairs from l776 to 1888,
who finally set up our framework OF
government, and I shall not under
take to do SC. What they did and
what they would have taught the world
to do have received the commendation
and praise of the lovers of liberty in
all lands and in all tongues. Any
feeble effort of mine to place just
estimate upon their work would be
impious.
If could have my deepest desire,
I would make this 159th year of our
national independence, just beginning,
a year of homecoming to America.
I would retrace some steps of recent
years, not in criticism. but in the light
OF experience. 1 would seek, as in
former years, the respect and friend
ship of all nations With them I
would build trade and commerce If I
could. But I would do it all in the
American way with first concern for
American policies, American instltu-
t:ons and the prosperity and happl-
ness of the American people.
Personal Liberties.
I would induce America to live her
own life, to preserve her principles
and institutions and maintain not
only in theory but in practice that
conception Of personal liberty, those
rights and privileges Of the citizens
without which any government, how
soever it may be styled, is tyranny
There has never been and, I venture
to say, there never will be, unless
found on the continent, in purSu-
ence Of policies heretofore obtaining
q scheme of government so conducive
to strength and power, as whole, and
at the same time so mastery in the
protection and preservation of the
right and liberties of the individual
as was built up irl the United States
under the inspiration of the principles
and policies of l776 and 1889 and
under that leadership which inspire all
Americans with a deep sense of vene-
ration and gratitude.
We have had some experiences re-
Gently. and from these experiences we
imbibe deeper faith, more profound
belief in the wisdom of those who
framed our government and shaped its
policies. We went into foreign war
8 war having its roots in wholly for
e;gn policies. We left our dead or
foreign soil Those policies of those
countries remain the same. Europe
is no nearer peace and disarmament
than before. We have our dead anc
crippled, our mairned and insane, oul
wrenched snd twisted institutions
while Europe retains her bitterness
her dissension, her old balance Of
power
During the last 20 years we have
sent nearly $4,000, 100000 of the
American taxpayers money to Europe
That amount would build modes
home for every homeless family il
the United States and given them 6
SUFFICIENT annuity to start life anew
These debts, both public and private
are now being repudiated. and repudl-
eted in way which seems to tern1in'
Rtes lingering respect and the obliga'
tioAs at the same time. Our able
Secretary of State advises Germany
that her debt situation arises out o.
Ter Nazi policies. He is doubtless cor
rect. The NaA policies arise largely
out of the Versailles treaty. The Ver'
\ sailles treaty was result Of the war
We helped to fight-one mad round
of wan and vindictiveness and dicta-
torship and reputation seem to be
the most pronounced result of our en-
trance into European affairs.
Program oil Reputation.
Nazism may be responsible for the
default in Germany. but not in Great
Britain or France or Italy. The fact
is, and no amount Of diplomatic fenc'
ing can conceal the ugly fact, that
-l1f- .rrr