Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1910-06-23
S1.OO PER YEAR
Views Afoot
A PEAcE-MADE HERO

America is prodigal of everything
but Roosevelt. In three centuries she
has brought forth but one; and the
present generation evidently deems it
no misfortune that he happened con-
temporaneously with it.
Roosevelt is the glory of American
manhood, the incarnation of those
forceful personal qualities, which
Americans most admire. For whether
we consider his physical powers and
hardihood, his reckless courage in the
face of danger, his brilliancy and
breadth of mental grasp his aggressive
antagonism to all forms of unrighteous-
ness and shams, his spotless ideals, or
his intlexible personal integrity, we
find ourselves intuitively doing honor
to the type, which he represents. No
other man, so many-sided, has ever so
nearly fulfilled popular ideals, and
whether we agree with him in politics
or not, we find it necessary if we are
Americans, to honor his manhood.
However, with all these personal
qualities allowed for, there is still
mystery in Roosevelt's power. One
will look far in history to find popu-
lar idol, who has won and held such
unanimous and unwavering loyalty
from nation as he has; and there
seems to be no case, in which any man
has attained to this in times of peace.
Peace-made heroes are rare in human
history; but Roosevelt is a specimen,
and it is to be hoped that the species is
developing one, which the Author of
Life has designed to take the place of
the old-time heroes of bloodshed and
slaughter.
1t is notable that Mr. Roosevelt's
great work in life SO far has been large
ly confined to those things which tend
to the betterment and uplifting of the
ideals and conditions of human life.
He is not a slayer of men and a desc
later of homes as We're most of the great
characters of history, And by SO much
he is greater than they.
1t is notable, too, that when speak
ii ing before the Nobel prize committee
while in Europe recent y, his theme
was Universal Peace; and that in the
problem of how to organize an effective
international court to take care of the
quarrels between nations, he presented
ideas in advance of any yet offered.
To organize and operate such court
is perfectly feasible; the difficulty lies
in enforcing its decisions. And with
out the means of enforcing its decrees
such q court is nearly useless.
| Mr.. Roosevelt's plan is that three or
four of the most powerful nations enter
into a Peace League for the purpose
named, and that they provide such
land and marine forces as the Interna-
tional Peace Court may require. Thus
provision would be made for police
force among the nations just as it is
now provided among private individ-
uals.
Ii this plan proves practicable, it
brings us step nearer the much de-
Slleu Soai, puC lu iuetHS uore, lor CulS
will solve the one really great problem
which has confronted those who have
sought to put an end to wars and ru-
mors of wars. All else will be merely
matter of detail and developement
If Mr.. .Roosevelt's plan were adopted
it seems that the day would already be
near when wars among nations would
be regarded just as fistic encounters are
now regarded between individuals, and
when justice, rather than violence and
might, would decide the International
controversies of the Earth.