| Show last newsman to see borah recalls how lion of idaho kept ept mum in 36 campaign fian favor london landon so he played ball with home state dems by ROBERT S ALLEN coauthor co author with drew pearson Pe alson of the washington merry go co round released by western newspaper union IT ASHINGTON the sen W ate just seem the same without senator borah he was the first leader I 1 came to know intimately as a cub washington reporter 15 years ago and I 1 saw him last the day before his fatal accident I 1 think I 1 am the last newsman he talked to arlt it was late in the afternoon I 1 at alp tw vw that the presidents message TY the finnish loan was due the next day and I 1 dropped into boraas office to get his views wrapped in an army blanket he was lying on a couch reading an article on trade treaties he motioned me to a chair which I 1 pulled up near him on the marble mantle directly over him was a striking new photograph of himself which he liked very much duty came first borah looked well but frail and recalling that during the christmas holiday he had told me he was thinking of taking mrs borah south I 1 said what about your trip 1 I guess off robert he replied mrs borah wont stay tf if I 1 dont and I 1 cant why not things arent so active now A few weeks of warm weather and sunshine would do you a lot of good yes but I 1 cant leave those trade treaties are up and ive got nn g lz V f w X HE WATCHED LANDON senator borah waited for alf london landon s campaign before pre judging him but he later confided 1 7 I ant am not for him to be on hand to keep an eye on developments its a close fight and we cant take any chances I 1 would like a little rest but I 1 feel its my duty to stay on the job and oppose this act what about the finnish loan I 1 asked a very distressing distress ing dilemma for me robert he said my heart goes out to those gallant people but at the same time I 1 have grave misgivings about lending money to anyone in europe once we let down the bars we cant foresee what it may lead to we must keep out of that mess regardless of our personal sympathies dilemma of 1936 I 1 remember another time when he was in a dilemma it was in 1936 i that spring at the age of 71 and for the first time in his long career he decided to make a serious try tor for the presidency there was considerable popular response but the machine politicians were against him he went to the cleveland convention empty handed and he knew it the night herbert hoover made his speech which he secretly hoped would stampede the delegates I 1 encountered borah leaving his hotel it was past midnight hot and sticky come along robert and walk with me he said its cooler out here so we walked about the deserted streets and he talked about hoover the convention and AU alf landon doubted landoas Lan dons ability nominate landon tomorrow he said the stage is all set hoover tried to run away with the convention tonight but they dont want any of him it will be landon and knox you mark my word and then what are you going to do senator 1 I dont know ill wait and see what landon says but what im wondering is what can he say he knows nothing about national or foreign affairs I 1 am told he is a nice gentleman but the country needs more than that in the white house in these times I 1 dont want to prejudge landon I 1 shall hear him out but I 1 have a strong hunch I 1 will not support him boraas premonition was right three months later I 1 spent a day with him in boise as he campaigned tor for his sixth senatorial term we had a long talk that night in his room before he retired I 1 remarked that I 1 heard him say a word during the day about landon and I 1 dont intend to say anything about him borah replied quietly 1 I am not for or him are you for roosevelt Hoo sevelt well robert he said ive got a lot of democratic friends in idaho and nd I 1 think they know where I 1 stand and then with a gentle smile he added a pretty good news story it it certainly was it was the big scoop of the campaign |
