| OCR Text |
Show ASKS E. 0. P. II GnHTLEIGUE Senator Borah of Idaho Denounces De-nounces Covenant as a Treacherous 'Scheme.' V Demands That the Republicans Republi-cans Take Stand in Direct Di-rect Opposition. By Universal Service. WASHINGTON", May ;5. s-enator Borah of Idaho, in a letter addressed to IX E. Dunne, president 'of the Sedgwick Republican club of Wichita, Kan., which was made public here today, denounced the league of nations as a "treacherous scheme.'' He also demanded that the Republican party lake a stand in direct opposition to the league plan, adding: "If it fails to do so. some other political party will talte up the task." Thousands of Democrats, according to the senator, are deserting their party because be-cause its chieftain. President Wilson, made the league plan the party's property. prop-erty. The senator's letter follows in full: Borah's Letter in Full. "T am pleased to receive the resolutions of the Sedgwick Republican club denouncing denounc-ing the proposed league of nations. I congratulate con-gratulate your club upon its courage, its vision and lis patriotism. A political party which would fail to take a stand upon a question which Involves the honor and independence of our republic, would be fit only for the deiision and contempt of all patriotic men. The Sedgwick Republican Re-publican club has earned a place of distinction dis-tinction and. most of all, a place of honor in this historic struggle. "Those that urge that this is riot a matter for political action shut their eyes to the facts and close their minds to the things which are transpiring about us. It la already a party matter. The second night before' the president left for the (second time for our foreign capital he called his party organization Into consultation. con-sultation. Made a Party Issue. "One need not speculate on what took place. The able and faithful chairman of the party hastened from the White bouse to the first public rostrum and announced the position of the party and denounced all who opposed the league as doing so for party reasons. It was then and there made and ever has been a party issue so far as the Democratic party is concerned. Do you know of any newspaper recognized as a party organ that l not advocating It upon partv lines? They were all for the first draft because it was perfect and thev are all for the second draft because, be-cause, as they say, it has been greatly improved. "It Is true there are thousands of loyal Democrats who, placing their country above their party, are not for it. These men will never be for the party again while it stands for this treacherous scheme. Thev are entitled to the commendation com-mendation of their countrymen. But, having left a party because It is for the league, will thev take refuge with a party which would have no policy in regard to it? Demands Outspoken Policy. "nut vastly more important Is this: Can a political party survive the miserable misera-ble role of liaving no word to utter, as a partv to its millions of supporters when the most vital problem ever presented to our people is up for consideration? " hat is a political party for? To steal into office upon passing Incidents and by reason rea-son of temporary blunders and leave the great questions which involve the honor of our country and the tranquillity and the happiness of our people as a whole to go unnoticed? The- great mass of the (Continued on Pago 3, Column 4.) ASKS G. 0. P. TO - G01T LEAGUE (Continued from page One.) people are not members of a political parlv for the loaves ami the fishes, haunted with an paper appetite for the Iloshpots. They are there because it furnishes fur-nishes them the method, and the only method under our fur in of government, of nffectuatin? their -wishes and their purposes pur-poses in regard to questions which touch most nearly the welfare of their government govern-ment and the prosperity and power of their nation. The greater the problem, therefore, the more searehiimly it reaches for the fundamental principles of government. govern-ment. -the more ntiiekly and boldly should a political oi'Kani.ation speak forth. It must take a position in such a contro- Fate of Whig Party. "The old Whig party died in moral bankruptcy of sheer political fright. When the great oueslion of slavery began to stir the hearts of Hie American people il would remain silent in order to preserve pre-serve unity and enjoy harmony. II re-suiled re-suiled in the harmony of the grave. Tlie great Webster, in his 7th of Ma.reh speech, expounded the principles of expediency ex-pediency as no -man ever has, before or since It w-as the funeral oration of his party and a fearful moral catastrophe in an otherwise noble life. What the organization organ-ization of the party d'd not have the I murage to do. its voters, with many splendid acquisitions, did do under another an-other name. "The old Federal party committed political po-litical suicide In tile zenith of its power bv striking at I lie rights of a free press and free speech, things without which free institutions arc a mockery. "No political party can live In a government gov-ernment controlled hy lis moral forces and public opinion and dedicated to liberty lib-erty which refuses lo tak.i a position uron the great problems of national existence ex-istence or which strikes at the fundamental funda-mental guarantees of personal liberty. Question for Americans. "We have up bctore us me iii""" of whether or not wo shall keep onrscives free from entangling alliances with b.uro-pean b.uro-pean powers and whetcer we shnl keep Ihc western continent fre- t rom the intrigues in-trigues and conspiracies of the old worlo; whether we shall del ermine for ourselves ",,.! upon our own sense of justice and I-ighteousness when we shall send our people to war or whether e sua, I d'-le- |