Twin-City herald. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1927-1940, 1935-11-30
IDAHO SENATOR HINTS
AT PLANS FOR 1886
CAMPAIGN LETTER

Borah bluntly asserted last Saturday
that should he receive the "unex-
pected and great honor" of being
President, he would veto as unconsti-
tutional such legislation as the Costi-
gan-Wagner anti-lynching bill.
His stand was given in a letter to
the National Association for the Adj
vancement of Colored People. 1t re-
piled to one sounding by his views,
as presidential possibility, toward
the anti-lynching bill he has opposed
in the senate.
The Idaho Republicans quick re-
spouse to the challenge, and his
wording of it, furthered the growing
belief in Washington that he will get
into the presidential race. But it was
unusually outspoken for a PRESIDENT
al possibility.
Walter White, signing the associa-
tons letter as its secretary, said he
was writing con behalf of 100000
American Negroes and of many white
Americans who are deeply concerned
with the alarming increase in lynch
ings in the United States" He warm
ed that Negro votes hold the balance
Of power in many pivotal states.
Borah replied that he had opposed
the Costigan- Wagner measure be-
cause he had no doubt it violated
the constitution, and added:
"That being my view then and
now, I shall vote against such mea-
sures as long as I am member of
the senate, and should the unexpect-
ed and great honor come to me of
being President of the United States
and such bill should reach me, un-
der my oath and in the light of my
convictions, I would unhesitatingly
~ do not enter a discussion Of
what in my judgment is 8 ter
futility of these measures as rom
the constitutional question. ther
do take time,to again exp :, as
have often expressed it by word and
act, my horror of lvnching. further
than to say that if the federal gov
eminent is to deal with the subject,
it can only do so by an amendment
to the constitution of the United
States"
Borah did not suggest that he would
not be candidate. In fact he said
he would let the associations assump-
tons "that I am a candidate for the
this letter."
presidency" stand for the purpose of
Earlier the Borah movement
reached further impetus when Rep
resentative Lemke, Republican of
North Dakota, who supported Presi-
dent Roosevelt in 1882, said the Ida
no senator was "the only candidate
80 far prominently mentioned who
could get the support Of the farmers
of the west for the Republican NOM
nation" Lemke's statement, cap
ping an hours conference with Bor-
all, wes regarded Significantly. So
was an announcement that the sem
ator would open a drive for liberaliz-
ing the Republican party in nation
wide radio broadcast December 7.
This will be the first Of o series
Of speeches by Borah in the eastern
and middle western states before the
opening Of congress in January. His
friends expect him to challange the
established leadership of the party in
these addresses.
The CostiganiWagner bill would
empower federal court to fry any
Of a lynching mob if it be-
came apparent that state was lax in
or if jurors obtainable
For service in a state court manifest
" were opposed to punishment for
The lynching.
Any county or city in which mob
violence occurred would be subject
% a fine OF from So 1000 to $4,000
which would be paid the injured per-
ION or bis estate. Anv state empIov-
.e or official who neglected his duty
# protecting an individual AGAINST
mob violence, or failed to prosecute
persons guilty Of felony which, upon
conviction, would subject him to a
line UT to $4,000 or Imprisonment
Up to Eve years or both.