The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-12-29
Ex-president Declares in an
Editorial that President
Was Wrong in Russian
Treaty Action.
WAS INCONSISTENT
THE COLONEL SAYS
Points to Fact that Taft Be-
lieves in Treaties to Super
cede War, but Has Now
Abrogated One.
(National News Association)


NEW YORK, Dec. 29.--ln an editor
1al entitled "Thc Russian treaty" arbi-
tration and Hypocrisy" published In
the current issue of the Outlook, ex-
President Theodore Roosevelt again
attacks President Taft's policies. de-
claring that the president was wrong
in abrogating the Russian treaty of
1882 without awaiting official interpre-
tation OF the Hague international court
and asserting that ratification of the
Taft arbitration treaties as they now
stand, will put us as nation in an
latitude OF unctuous and odiOus hy-
pocrisy."
Col. Roosevelt says that while he
approves of the action taken by Con
kress in abrOgating the treaty he is of
the opinion that 1t would have been wi
ser first to submit the covenant to the
Hague court for Interpretation. That,
he said. would have enabled Russia to
retire from an untenablc position with
good grace and TO loss of self.respect
an object that always should hold in
view in dealing with any foreign ma
ton"
The ex.presidcnt then goes on, after
his vigorous fashion. as follows:
Sarcasm Employed.
But this action was taken while the
universal arbitration treaties are pen
ding In the senate. These treaties are
avowedly championed as being Of the
kind We are to enter into with all ma
tions and as supplanting the existing
arbitration treaties which we have
with almost all nations. including Rus
sia as we'll as England and France
These treaties. II ratified by the senate
unamended will explicitly promise,
will explicitly pledge the honor and
good faith of the American nation to
arbit"ate precisely such questions as
that which at this moment we an.
nounce that we will not endeavor to
arbitrate in the case Of Russia.
I'VE should put ourselves in the pos
sitien Of making sweeping and insin
ance at the very time when, by our
own actions. we showed that we would
not keep such promises nor translate
them into action"
The ex-president says that such
questions rs passports. Asiatic immi
grafton in Mass. the principle involv
ed In the Monroe doctrine and the re
fusal by the states to pay bonds should
never be put into an arbitration treaty
After saying that he believes most ear
nestly in peace. he continues:
Called Hypocritieai.
And I oppose these treaties because
II unamended they would surely tel
against peace and would put us as g
nation into an attitude Of unctuous ant
odious hypocrisy.
I'm other words. it would put this
country into a position both ridiculous
and discreditable to pass the proposed
general arbitration treaties at tho
same time that We denounce our gener
al treaty with Russia"
Colonel Roosevelt says that the arbi
tration treaties are nothing but gen
eral promises and that they are draw
up in such sweeping and vague terms
especially In the use Of the word. Jus
tihable" that they might. in any con
crete case. be held to mean anythin,
or nothing
II the action taken by our govern
inent in the Russian matter was not ,
violation Of the principle Of the arbi
tration treaties. says Col. Roosevelt
then the latter are not worth the pape
they are written on.
The colonel concludes by sayin.
that it is arrant hypocrisy for the Uni
ted States to support the arbitration
treaties as they stand and at the sam,
time annul the Russian treaty o
1882
Hypocrisy Is revolving in natiol
as in a man." says he. "and in the lonl
run do not believe it pays either maj
or nation"