Anomaly

Senator Borah, oratorically extraordinary gentleman from Idaho, a fortnight ago tramped southward to Augusta, Georgia, heart of the Southern "Dry" belt; there, naturally, made a speech Volsteadian in tone. He deplored "nullification" of the 18th Amendment, did Mr. Borah. Yet, had it not been for the lazy hot sun, many a disenfranchised Negro might have scented an anomaly, might have pointed out to the Senator that here, indeed, was where pride-wounded "Colonels" first conceived the effective thought of "nullification." Others, not Negroes, have made this fact clear.

Governor Elaine, Senatorial candidate from Wisconsin: "These two Amendments (the 14th and 15th) should be enforced and observed.

Congress should carry out the duty to enforce these amendments by appropriate legislation and such legislation ... is mandatory."

New York Representative Ogden L. Mills: "The Senator says those responsible for the submission of this question [The Volstead Act referendum] to the people of New York were actuated by cowardice rather than by conviction. When Senator Borah urges in Atlanta the enforcement of the Fifteenth Amendment, and defends Volsteadism and its fruits in New York City, he may be in a position to discuss the political courage of others. But as long as he remains discreetly silent on the nullification of the Fifteenth Amendment and selects the heart of the dry belt as the appropriate place to preach the sacredness of the Volstead act, he is hardly in a position to question the backbone of others.

"The gentleman from Idaho suggests that we are awed by Al Smith's shadow. To a gentleman who has just come from the Democratic and dry States, looking forward tremulously to 1928, the shadow of Gov. Smith may seem large and fearful, but . . . here in New York we Republicans are fully prepared to take care of Al Smith, shadow and all this fall.

"It would be interesting to know what Senator Borah, who professes to believe that full force and effect should be given to every line of the Constitution, has ever done to see that Congress lived up to the obligation imposed by section 2."

Vigorous Mr. Borah went west into trans-Mississippi dry country, made more speeches.