Evening star., 1961-06-25
Full Scale Study
Of Senator Boruh
And His Times
BORAH. BY Marian C. Nc
Kenna. university of
Michigan Press; $7.50D

BORAH. BY Marian C. Nc
Kenna. university of
Michigan Press; $7.500
William E. Borah of Idaho,
whose proudest boast might
have been that of his antith-
esis, Senator Henry cabot
Lodge of Massachusetts,
am a Senator of the United
States"-is the subject Of an
absorbing biography by an
assistant professor Of his
tory at Misunderstanding Col
lege, Marian c. McKenna.
Co-ordinated with her inti-
mate and understanding pic
ture of Borah is an equally
absorbing and interesting
discussion of the era, extend
ing from the peaceful days
following the Spanish-Amer-
lean War to the brink of our
entry into World War II.
Borah's passionate crusadeS
for the retention of Ameri-
can ideals, for the improve
ment and betterment of the
lot of the common citizen,
and for peace are all there.
And also the men with whom
the Idaho Senator worked
and against whom he fought
in his amazing 80 years in
the Senate.
The book antedates Borah's
entry into the Washington
scene. 1t begins with a curl
Gus quirk of fortune, show
ing a young man of Is on
his way West to make for
tune and fame. Born in
Southern Illinois, educated
in Kansas, Borah was reach
ing for the Pacific Coast but
had money enough to take
him only as far as Boise,
Idaho. He was advised to go
there by a gambler on the
train. An interesting Specu-
lation is what might have
happened had he settled in
San Francisco. Borah's prog
reSs as an attorney in Boise,
his great ability as a trial
lawyer, eliminating in his
prosecution of the case
against William Hayward,
secretary of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners, charged
with conspiracy in the mur-
der of a former Idaho Gov
ernor. Clarence Darrow was
Borah's opponent in tn a t
trial.
A Lone Wolf
In his senatorial career,
which began IN 1907 after a
desperate battle with Old
Guard RepublicaniSm, Borah
was unpredictable, often a
lone wolf. AS supporter of
causes-and of legislation. he
proved a tower of strength.
BY the end of his first term.
he had become a great fig
ure. He fought for direct pri-
maries in his own State. for
the direct election of Sem
ators and for progressive
measures. He was, an impos-
ing figure in the group of
Western Senators who sought
to give the Republican Party
a progressive direction.
Many Presidents, begin
ing with Theodore Roosevelt
and ending with Franklin D.,
sought his advice, his friend
ship and support. His advice
he gave freely and fervently.
His support was another
thing. An ardent supporter
of Theodore Roosevelt. Borah
refused to follow T. r. into
the Bull Moose Party in 1912.
For approximately 10 years
he was chairman of the pow
erful Foreign Relations Com
mittee of the Senate. He
sought to dominate foreign
policy. he was accused of vio-
lating the Logan Act debar-
ing private citizen5 from
dealing with foreign govern
ments. He voted for Wilson's
declaration Of war with Ger
many-a vote which he later
regretted. He would never
travel, however, outside the
United States.
Against League
Borah is remembered pri-
marily for his uncompromis-
ing fight against the League
of Nations covenant and the
Versailles treaty. What is not
so we'll remembered is that it
was his influence tn at
brought about the Washing
ton Arms Conference after
Harding had become Presi-
dent. He did not fight the
League of Nations because it
was a peace agency - he
fought it because it would en-
tangle the United States with
foreign nations and abandon
our own independence of ac-
ton.
Borah was frequently i'm
portuned to run for President.
He always resisted - until
1886 when he determined the.
Republican rank and file
should be given opportunity
to vote for a progressive"
candidate. He was II at the
time. His campaign was con-
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