The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-04-24
COLONEL ROOSEVELT BE
FORE THE SORBONNE.

Col Theodore Roosevelt has par
iicipated as a member at a session OF
the French Academy, and has delivered
a lecture at the Sorbonne. Intellectual
Paris was his host from noon until
midnight His reception throughout
was impressive Especially at the Scr
bonne was it marked by the utmost
enthusiasm and reached the proportions
Of a tremendous ovation
It VIII be worth while to observe
the tone of comment In the French
press on the address OF the former
President at the Sorbonne. which. as he
said, was the foremost seat Of learn
ing IN Europe before America was dis
covered From all the accounts, It was
delivered TO a highly enthusiastic audi
ence, and he was interrupted again and
again with storms OF applause.
What Mr.. Roosevelt said at the Scr
bonnie IS not new. He has said the
same thing IN substance to the Ameri-
can people many times His speech was
given over to defining the duties of IN
dividuaI citizenship IN a republic. He
sconed the sluggards, the cynics, and
the idle rich He preached the gospel
OF work, Of character. and Of the
strenuous life. He attacked race suicide
IN a country where its effects are
generally supposed to be particularly
baneful- He defined his attitude on the
subject Of human rights, and gave his
position as respects the money interests.
He commended the qualities OF courage
honesty sincerity, and common sense.
and said these qualities rather than
genius were essential He made clear
his belief that republican Institutions
are still on trial, both in France and
in America.
We have no doubt that Mr.. Roose-
velt's utterances at the Sorbonne viii
be scOfed at IN some quarters as trite
1t Is easy to see a certain humorous
and amusing side TO the whole spec
tacle Of the RooseveItian invasion Of
the land Of the GauIs- The scene pre-
scented when Roosevelt stood awed into
silence at the tomb Of Napoleon OF
when Roosevelt spoke Of his reception
by the academy as the Growing Of
the career of a man of letters" OF when
Roosevelt talked TO the French about
:-roping and throwing a maverick" on
the ranges of the West. VIII unques-
tiOnably evoke some jbes at his ex-
pense, at least on this side OF the water.
There VIII be wonderment as TO
whether he spoke the language OF the
Parisians or whether his French was
Of the order OF the American high
school student But, allowing for all
these phases Of the Roosevelt triumph,
and making allowance for the fact
that the things he said were largely
old thoughts IN new dress. 1t viii have
TO be conceded that his sermon TO the
SoTbOnne contains some good doctrines.
II his audience lives up TO II, 1t viii be
better for the French republic. We ven
ture to express the belief that one
paragraph Of his address at the Scr
bonne viii afford the American people
food for thought and discussion for
many day. That paragraph is this:
Ny position as regards the moneved
interests can be put in q few words In
every civilized society property rights
must be carefully safeguarded Orii-
naTily, and in the great majority OF
cases. human rights and property rights
are fundamentally and in the long run
identical But when 1t clearly appears
that there is a real conflict between
them, human rights must have the upper
hand, for property belongs TO man and
not man TO property.
This idea may not be new. but 1t is
sometimes important TO restate and re-
iterate old doctrines Just now there
Is an outburst Of protest in this coun-
try because of a widespread feeling
that IN too much OF our legislation and
in the tendencies OF our legislators
human rights are being lost sight OF.
When Congress Is revising tariffs,
studying the cost of living, and making
railroad and conservation statutes, It
can bear this doctrine IN mind to ad-
vantage.