The San Francisco call., 1910-03-28
TRIBUTE PAID
ROOSEVELT BY
NATIVE EDITORS
Fourteen Cairo Newspapermen
Hear Former President Ex-
plain His Attitude
Noted American Urges Egyptian
Press TO Stand for Fair
Play and Tolerance
By JOHN cALLAN o'LAUGHL1N
Special Gable 10 The CALI

y
Especial Gable 10 The Call
Copyright by the Tribune Co, Chicago, is1o)
CAIRO. Egypt. March 27.-Few men
ever had as strange an interview with
the representatives of the press as did
Roosevelt this afternoon with the edi-
tors Of i native papers.
They had been especially anxious to
meet the man they regarded as the
greatest citizen Of the most progress
sive democratic republic in the world
believing his advice would be valuable
and uplifting to their country.
r In compliance with their request
Roosevelt granted them an interview
N his room in the hotel. When they
appeared some were in European cos
tune with tarbouches on their heads,
showing them TO be Mohammedans, the
taller tarbouses indicating satisfaction
with the English rule. the shorter
showing advocacy of nationalism. Some
of them wore native costumes Sheik
Waly Youssef. who advised Roosevelt
IN an open letter not TO speak in Egypt
as ne did IN the Sudan, was dressed in
g striking robe with an under vest en-
REPRESENT DIVERSE OPINIONS
The papers they represented ranged
in opinion from approval of the present
regime TO advocacy of the expulsion of
tie English by force if necessary; from
defense Of religious federation to sug
gestions, constantly repeated. calcu-
lated to stir the Moslems against the
Christians and the Christians against
the Moslems.
Roosevelt received the native editors
cordially. opening the converse tion by
saving. 81 IN a neTvspa perman myself
Referring to the report published in
the Arabic papers attributing TO him
views calculated 10 stir religious feel
iuE. he said he already had denounced
the report in a private conversation
with the khedive and his officials as
a wicked lie To the journalists he re
peated that he never had said anything
or the kind.
URGES FAIR DEALING
IF there is one word of advice I'd
give 10 the Christians ne remarked,
-'it is that the Moslenl treat the Chris
tions with exact justice. and the Chris
tians should act in exactly the same
way 10 the Moslems
"a viii advise that wherever l have
any influence. When I was president in
America no Christian was admitted to
cypress d Moslem. and no Moslem could
abuse Christian So it is in America
now and in the Philippines under Amer
lean rule"
one journalist suggested possible
criticism Of Roosevelt's lecture tomor-
= w. which all are awaiting with keen
terest.
AS to my speech" Roosevelt re-
piled. any one can criticise who
pleases. after ii is made"
He continued. 4 always tell the
newspa permen in my own country that
they are using one Of the most for
midable weapons OF modern life and
that ii is vital TO see that they use il
FOR good purposes and not for bad
purposes.
The editor or correspondent of
newspa per in reality is a public serv-
when president. should be held strictly
sccounta bic for his acts, so I think a
newspa perman should be held respon-
sible for his"
It was explained TO Roosevelt that
the Coptic as wei as Moslem papers
were published in Arabic and he was
assured that all were trying to do
their duty by the country. though
sometimes they make mistakes.
URGES JUSTICE FOR ALL
you make mistakes" exclaimed
Roosevelt. I'VE all make mistakes But
] hope you viii work with zeal for
the right, but with moderation and
Eelf-restrsint.
Take, for instance, these six Ameri-
can newspapermen with me. They rep
resent all shades Of political and re-
ligious opinion, but all stand alike for
certain things.
They stand for justice as between
man and man. The Catholic demands
justice for the Protestant ana Jew;
fhe Protestant for the Catholic and the
jew, and the Jew for the Protestant
and the Catholic. The man of one
political or religious belief comes TO
the defense of the man of other poltf-
cal or religious views. They demand
Justice for all"
II was explained to Roosevelt that
cordial relations existed between the
Egypt. He expressed his approval of
this condition, but said it was not gen
orally known.
He closed the interview by referring
10 the Sudan, stating that any man
who knew what Khartum was IN the
days of the mahdi could not fail to
,feafize the enormous progress of the
y st decade.
The Roosevelt family went to the
English church this morning, and to-
night they dined with Sir Francis
Wingate.
Colonel Roosevelt has invited Prince
and Princess Eitel Frederick of Ger
many to take tea with him Tuesday.