The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-14
THE SWISS
ARE MODELS
Col. Roosevelt Says in Seventh
War Article Today.
Quotes Secretary W. ]. Bryan's
Golden Words
IN COMMENTING THEREON
Says During His Terms Not .
Hostile Gun Fired.
Is . Man of Peace Out of Pre-
pArednesS.

Is . Man of Peace Out of Pre-
paredness.
[By Theodore ROOSEVELT
1.-THE seventh of a series Of articles by
Mr.. Roosevelt on the lessons for the
American people in the Eurcpean war-l
The other day one of the typical
ultra-pacificists peace-at-any-price
men put the ultra-pacificist case quite
clearly, both in a statement Of his own
and by a quotation Of what he called
the golden words" of Mr.. Bryan at
Mohonk. In arguing that we should
under no conditions fight for our
rights, and that we should make no
preparation whatever to secure our
selves against wrong this writer point
ed out China as the proper model for
America He did this on the ground
that China. which did not fight, was
yet colder" than Rome, Greece and
Germany. which had fought. and that
its example was therefore to be pre-
ferred.
This, Of course. is a position which
saves the need of argument. II the
average American wants to be
ideal, then he should by all means fol-
low the advice Of pacificists like the
writer in question and be a supporter
of Mr.. Bryan's. # any man seriously
believes that China has played a
nobler and more useful part in the
world than Athens and Rome and Ger
many, then he is quite right to try to
Chinafy the United States In such
event he must Of course believe that
all the culture, ali the literature, all
liberty and social wellbeing. which
modern Europe and the two Americas
have inherited from Rome and Greece.
and that all that has been done by
Germany from the days OF Charlie
magne to the present time, represent
believe that the average German or
Frenchman or Engiishman or inhabi-
tant of North and South America &C.
cupies a lower moral, intellectual and
coolie who with his fellows composes
the overwhelming majority of the Chi
nese population. To my mind such q
proposition is unfit for debate outside
Of certain types of asylum. But those
who sincerely take the view that this
gentleman takes are unQuestionably
right in copying China in every detail.
and nothing that can say will ap-
peal to them
Bryan's Golden Words.
The golden words OF Mr.. Bryan
were as follows:
Il believe that this nation could
stand before the world today and tell
the world that i did not believe in
war, that it did not believe that it was
the right way to settle disputes, that
it had no disputes which it was not
willing to submit to the judgment of
the world. If this nation did that, it
not only would no. be attacked by any
other nation on the earth. but it
would become the supreme power in
the world"
OF course, it is to be assumed that
Mr.. Bryan means what he says. II he
does, then he is willing to submit to
arbitration the question whether the
japanese have or have not the right to
to this shore. II Mr.. Bryan does not
mean this, among other specific things,
then the golden words" in question
represent merely the emotionalism OF
the professional orator. OF course, If
Mr.. Bryan means what he says, he
also believes that we should not have
interfered in Cuba and that Cuba ought
now to be the property Of Spain. He
also believes that we ought to have
permitted Colombia to reconQuer and
deprive of their independence the peo-
pie of Panama, and that We should not
have built the Panama canal He also
believes that California and Texas
ought now to be parts Of Mexico, en-
joying whatever blessings complete alb
stinence from foreign war has secured
that country during the last three
years. He also believes that the decla-
ration Of independence was an arbi-
trable matter and that the United States
ought now to be a dependency Of Great
Britain. Unless Mr.. Bryan does believe
all of these things. then his golden
words represent only a rhetorical
flourish. He il secretary of state and
the right hand man of President Will
son, and President Wilson is completely
responsible for whatever he says and
for the things he does-or rather which
he leaves undone-
Now, 1t il quite useless for me to
write with any view to convincing gen.
tlemen like Mr.. Bryan and the writer
in question. II they really do represent
our fellow countrymen. then they are
right in holding up China as our ideal.
not the modern China, not the China
that Is changing and moving forward,
cans ought frankly to class themselves
with the Chinese. That is where, on
this theory. they belong II this is SO,
then let us fervently pray that the Jap
anese, or some other virile people that
does not defy moral, mental and physi-
cal impotence, may speedily come to
rule over US.
I am, however. writing on the as
sumption that even though temporarily
misled they will not permanently and
tamely submit to oppression. and that
they will ultimately think intelligently
as to what they should do to safeguard
themselves against aggression I alb
hor unjust war; and deplore that the
need even for just war should ever
occur believe We should set our faces
like flint against any policy OF agrees
sion by this country on the rights OF
any other country But believe that
we should look facts in the face. be-
! Heve that 1t is unworthy weakness to
fear To face the truth Moreover he