Evening star., 1940-01-19
Senator Borah
Is Believed on
Verge Of Death
End Held Question
Of Minutes
And Hours

The vigorous and dramatic career
Of the dean Of the Senate appeared
to be drawing to 4 close here this
afternoon, with the end only q mat
ter Of minutes and hours"
While friends and family offered
prayers for his recovery, William E.
Borah Of Idaho lay unconscious in
his apartment at 210l Connecticut
avenue NV, his strength failing
rapidly"
Word Of the extreme gravity of
Mr.. B0rah's condition was brought
to his anxious colleagues on Capitol
Hill by Senator Barkley of Ken
lucky. who had called on Mrs.
Borah. There's not a chance" Mr.
Barley said sadly. Earlier, Mr..
Borah's ONCE said he appeared to
be failing rapidly.
Mrs. Borah still clung to the
faith that some miracle would save
the life of her 74-year-old hus-
band. who was stricken by a cere-
bral hemorrhage in his apartment
Tuesday morning. The Senator's
physician. however, DR.. Worth Dam
iels, son Of the Ambassador to Mex
leo. could give her little encour.
agement.
Mrs. Borah Fought Death.
Yet Mrs. Borah, whose independ-
ence OF mind has made her almost
~ well known As her famous hus-
band, recalls that in 1882 her own
life was despaired of when she was
stricken with parrot fever. She
hopes that Senator Borah, whose
lighting ability Is known to many
= worsted opponent, may also sur
prise his doctors.
Meanwhile, the Lion of Idaho"
revived only at long intervals from
= deep coma, and his body was hot
with fever. Two special nurses at
tended him, day and night, and DR..
Daniels called every few hours.
There was = constant stream of
callers yesterday and early last
night-old friends who slipped
quietly into the apartment, asked
few questions and departed. The
mumed telephone brought messages
OF sympathy and inquiry from all
over the United States.
Political foes as we'll as friends ex-
pressed hope for the veteran Re-
pubhcan's recovery. President
Roosevelt called to voice his anxiety,
as did Senator Carter Glass. the
nery Virginian who fought Mr..
borah IS vigorously in the historic
League Of Nations battle in the
Ssnate as has the President in re-
cent years on various issues.
throughout yesterday and last
night the Senator seemed to have
M HIM tlimmerings of conscious
nees. sometimes he called for his
wife and once he asked for his
slippers, explaining he wished to
get up and 60 to the ONCE.
Fell in Bathroom.
The Senator fell to his bathroom
floor. where he was discovered in a
dazed condition by Mrs. Borah
Tuesday morning. Doctors could
not determine If the fall. was the
cause or the result of the cerebral
hemorrhage. Early yesterday Mr..
Borah's condition took a turn for
the worse. He appeared vaguely
aware, and then only at intervals,
OF what was going on about him.
While his breathing was regular, his
temperature continued high.
Miss Cora Rubin, the Senator's
secretary for many years, helped
to answer the flood of inquiries
which descended upon the Borah
household. Throughout last night
lights burned in the Senate press
gallery, where reporters waited bull
letins from the bedside of Mr.,
Borah. At $50 O'Clock last night,
Miss Rubin telephoned:
THE doctor gives us very little
hope"
At intervals last night and this
morning reporters were informed
(See BORAH, Page A-5.)