A Political Curiosity

The intelligent layman, the business man and the financier, looking upon politics, are inclined to express surprise when they see the figure of Senator Borah turning his back on the Administration, while the supporters of the Administration go cordially to shake his hand. And the lay observer is inclined to ask: "Is this the Republican without a party?"

The partisan cartoonist, not curious but bitter, depicts the Republican Covered Wagon just as it has crossed Recent Election River. The perplexed Elephant turns to Driver Cal, asking: "Now, where's that half-breed guide of ours gone ?" And Cal replies : "Search me ! He was in the wagon until we got safely across the river." But the trenchant pen of the cartoonist* discovers the "half-breed guide"--and what does he wear but the face of Mr. Borah?--hiding behind the brush and whispering to the prowling savages who wear insurgent feathers in their topknots.

In part, the cartoonist is right. But he should not have drawn Mr. Borah lying on his belly. Mr. Borah, when the Charles B. Warren nomination was before the Senate (TIME, Mar. 2), walked quite openly to the side of the Insurgents to oppose the Administration nominee. He boldly led the attack and, but for him, Mr. Warren would probably have been confirmed--his single vote would have been enough to do it at one time. But he encouraged a number of Republicans to side against the nomination; his example woke the Democrats to united opposition that might not have existed but for him.

Yet Mr. Borah is "close" to the White House. Mr. Coolidge wanted nothing more than to have him on the Republican ticket for the office of Vice President. The party organization does not tread on his toes for irregularity. Rather, he is looked up to. But why ?

The reason is that Mr. Borah is sincere. It may be that he has a natural preference for taking the opposite side of a subject, for taking a lone stand, but those who work within cannot doubt his conviction. He does not work well in concert with anyone. He does not attend party caucuses. He hardly can be induced to sit in at a committee meeting. He works alone and comes to his own conclusions; and, when he speaks, he states his position so reasonably, with so little partisan spirit, that he arouses no bitterness even in his direct opponents. He is acknowledged the most effective speaker in the Senate for this very reason. It gives him an immense prestige. His independence, his non-partisan spirit, his earnest intention to be fair, were the qualities which brought about his selection, last year, as Chairman of the committee to investigate campaign expenditures.

The same qualities make him "irregular." They make him a great asset to whatever cause he espouses because his fighting is fearless and above ordinary politics. He was one of the 12 Republican Senators who voted against the Bonus Bill last year, one of the 17 who voted to sustain the President's veto. He was one of the three Senators to vote against the Postal Pay Bill in its original form. He voted also to sustain the veto of that bill and against the bill which passed a few weeks ago, providing postal pay and rate increases.

He votes for or against any bill just as he alone sees fit. He espouses a lost cause fearlessly, if not with pleasure. It does not matter to him whether he opposes or supports any party or any group. His mind may be curious in its functionings, but it is honest, honest above all others in the Senate. That is the tacit and sometimes spoken opinion which his colleagues have formed of him and doubtless it is the most reliable. So they let him stand in a place apart and he does as he wills without criticism from his fellows in the Republican Party.

*Jay N. Darling or "Ding," who lives in Des Moines and whose cartoons (drawn for the DCS Moines Register) are syndicated throughout the U. S.