SAT閱讀文章（歷史類）第5篇

02-04

William Edgar Borah (June 29, 1865 – January 19, 1940) was an outspoken Republican United States Senator, one of the best-known figures in Idahos history. A progressive who served from 1907 until his death in 1940, Borah is often considered an isolationist, for he led the Irreconcilables, senators who would not accept the Treaty of Versailles, Senate ratification of which would have made the U.S. part of the League of Nations.

托馬斯·伍德羅·威爾遜（Thomas Woodrow Wilson，1856年12月28日－1924年2月3日），美國第28任總統。此前，他曾先後任普林斯頓大學校長，新澤西州州長等職。

作為進步主義時代的一個領袖，1912年美國總統選舉中，由於前總統西奧多·羅斯福和時任總統威廉·塔夫脫的競爭分散了共和黨選票，他最終以四成普選票及四十州的選舉人票，以民主黨人身份當選總統，成為1897年至1933年為間唯一一位民主黨總統。迄今為止，他是唯一擁有哲學博士（Ph.D.）頭銜的美國總統（法律博士銜除外），也是唯一一名任總統以前曾在新澤西州擔任公職的美國總統。

在第一個任期中，威爾遜支持民主黨控制的議會通過聯邦儲備法案（Federal Reserve Act），克萊頓反托拉斯法案（Clayton Antitrust Act），聯邦農田貸款法案（Federal Farm Loan Act），還通過新的收入法在聯邦一級開徵收入稅，以及建立聯邦貿易委員會。但他同時因為支持在聯邦政府機構中實施種族隔離，導致大批黑人員工被解職，而遭到當時民權團體的批評。

1916年美國總統選舉勉強勝出後，威爾遜第二個任期的中心議題是第一次世界大戰。儘管他在競選時打出「他讓我們遠離戰爭」（he kept us out of the war）的口號，美國的中立政策卻未能持久。德國經外交秘書阿瑟·齊默爾曼發送給墨西哥、保證其若兩國結盟德國將幫助墨重新獲得被美國佔領之北方數州的電報，以及發動無限制潛艇戰促使威爾遜多次對德國給予警告，並最終於1917年4月要求國會宣戰。不過威爾遜主要是關注參戰的外交和財政面，而把作戰任務交給軍事部門。在大後方，他於1917年發動美國歷史上首次實際有效的徵兵，通過建立自由公債（Liberty Bonds）籌集數十億戰爭資金，設立戰爭工業委員會（War Industries Board），促進工會運動，通過史密斯-萊佛法案（Smith-Lever Act）監督農業和食品生產，控制鐵路運輸，通過首個聯邦級致幻藥物取締法案，並鎮壓反戰運動。此外在他的任期內普遍實現婦女選舉權。

在戰爭的最後階段，威爾遜親自主導對德交涉和協定停火。他發表十四點和平原則，從中闡述他所認為的能夠避免世界再遭戰火的新世界秩序。1919年赴巴黎籌建國際聯盟以及擬定凡爾賽條約，並尤其關注自戰敗帝國中建立新國家的問題。後主要由於他對創建國聯的貢獻，於同年被授予諾貝爾和平獎。在與共和黨控制的參議院圍繞美國加入國聯一事而進行激烈鬥爭時，因中風而昏倒。由於拒絕妥協，威爾遜最終未能使加入國聯案在參院通過。儘管沒有美國的加入，國聯還是於1920年成立。威爾遜所秉持的國際主義，也被後人稱為「威爾遜主義」，主張美國登上世界舞台來為民主而戰鬥。這成為以後美國外交政策中一個頗有爭議的理念，持久地為理想主義者所效仿，卻為現實主義者所排斥。

Passage 1 is excerpted from Senator William E. Borah, 「Speech to the Senate,」 delivered in 1919. Passage 2 is excerpted from an editorial in the Magyar Tribune, 「Shall There Be a League of Nations?」 Originally published in 1920. In the aftermath of World War I (1914-1918), United States President Woodrow Wilson sought to create an international governing body, called the League of Nations, that would come together to solve disputes between nations openly and peacefully.

Passage 1

Mr. President, after Mr. Lincoln had been elected President, before he assumed the duties of the office and at the time when all indications were to the effect that we would soon be in the midst of civil strife, a friend from the city of Washington wrote him for instructions. Mr. Lincoln wrote back in a single line, "Entertain no compromise; have none of it." That states the position I occupy at this time and which I have in my humble way occupied from the first contention in regard to this proposal of entering the League of Nations.

Have we not been told day by day for the last nine months that the Senate of the United States, a coordinate part of the treaty-making power, should accept this league as it was written because the wise men sitting in Versailles* had so written it, and has not every possible influence and every source of power in public opinion been organized and directed against the Senate to compel it to do that thing?

What is the result of all this? We are in the midst of all the affairs of Europe. We have joined in alliance with all European concerns. We have joined in alliance with all the European nations which have thus far joined the league, and all nations which may be admitted to the league. We are sitting there dabbling in their affairs and intermeddling in their concerns. In other words, Mr. President–and this comes to the question which is fundamental with me–we have forfeited and surrendered, once and for all, the great policy of "no entangling alliances" upon which the strength of this Republic has been founded for 150 years.

Beginning of reading passage footnotes.

* a city in France where the primary treaty ending World War I was signed

End of reading passage.

Passage 2

In Europe, there is no controversy about the League of Nations. Each nation can see the necessity of such an organization, in fact, they are looking forward to its activities with high hopes, as an organization being capable of preventing a recurrence of another bloody war such as we have just gone through, and one that has upset Europe and the entire world.

The nations that lost the war, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey, are the only nations of Europe who cannot be members at the present time, due to the fact that the other nations do not want them to have anything to do with the conferences of the League, and this revolutionary move. This is considered as a punishment to the above named nations.

In a very short time these nations will also be admitted as members of the League. Russia is not a member yet, either, because Russia seems to be preparing for war against the whole world, though it is only a matter of time before Russia will join the League, even though its political views will be entirely different from the rest of the world.

It is here the controversy lies. Maybe, it is because there is nothing else to discuss, or on which the Republicans and Democrats can argue, maybe, it is because if America joins the League it will mean radical changes in Americas foreign and domestic policies.

The United States has kept away from serious disagreements that have come up between European countries, but the World War thrust us into European politics. Due to industrial and economic conditions, the United States can no longer remain isolated from Europe.

Europe needs America, and America needs Europe. Products of the United States are constantly being exchanged for products manufactured in Europe, thereby cementing the tie between the two continents.

The entire world has made great advances in the field of contacting one another, since the invention of the steam locomotive, steam boat, and telephone. These inventions have brought the entire world closer together, and new ideas have developed.

So now the nations throughout the world are beginning to feel as though they should all unite into one solid organization, which will insure the world of everlasting peace, without interference from any one particular nation. This is the idea that gave birth to the League of Nations.

There are some who doubt whether the League will live up to these expectations of wiping war from the face of the earth. Of course, this is all guess work, but the idea seems like a good one and we believe it is worth trying.