The Calumet news., 1914-09-26
ROOSEVELT DISCUSSES WAR.

ROOSEVELT DISCUSSES WAR.
TheodoIe Roosevelt discusses
World War; Its Tragedies and Its
Lessons" in the current number OF
the outlook.
There is nothing particularly new
in the morals which Colonel Roose-
welt draws from the present cataclysm.
Nevertheless, his comments and con-
clusions are OF potential Importance
first, because Of the fact that he is an
| ex- president OF the United States;
second, because OF the fact that while
president he had TO deal with the Rus
sian-Japanese war, and succeeded in
bring Jap and Slav together in peace
ful harmony amid the granite hills of
old New Hampshire; and, third. be-
cause Of his generally incisive powers
OF reasoning and logic
The striking thing in the Roosevelt
comment is the conclusion that the
United States-in confronting its own
| future-"must remember that as yet
arbitration treaties. neutrality treat
ies, treaties for the erection of indie
|
can do nothing to save nation in
a great crisis unless that nation is able
10 defend its own honor and it's own
vital interests"
In other words, Mr.. Roosevelt frank
| ly advocates the peace which flows
from readiness for war rather than
the peace which theoretically springs
from disarmament ideals.
We are advised by Mr.. Roosevelt
that "our people should wake up to
the fact that it is a poor thing to live
in fools paradise"
We are reminded by him that the
neutrality of Belgium and Luxem-
bourg and China has failed to COM
mand respect merely because these
nations have been unequal to the ply
steal task of compelling physical re-
spect
The most important lessons"
declares Roosevelt, for us TO
learn from Belgium's fate is that as
things in the world now are. we
must, i'm any great crisis, trust for
our national safety to our abil-
ity and willingness to defend our
selves by our own trained strength
and courage. We must not wrong
others, and for our own safety we
must trust not TO worthless bits
of paper unbacked by power and
to treaties that are fundamental
" foolish, but TO our own manli-
ness and clear-sighted willing
ness to face facts
With his usual dramatic mode OF i'll
lustration Colonel Roosevelt brings
the application Of this conclusion
squarely home to the people Of the
United States.
III any old World military pow
err" SAYS he, would engage in
war and deem such action nee
essary and safe, it would at once
seize the Panama Canal or the
Danish or Dutch West Indies or. .
Magdalena Bay exactly as Bel
gium and Luxembourg have been
overrun by Germany. and az Co
rea has been saized by Japan.
They would certainly SO act If
they thought we would in any real
crisis pay heed 20 the political
theories resulting in the all-inclu-
sive arbitration treaties that have
just been negotiated in Washing
ton They would refrain from so
acting only IL they knew we
would instantly and resolutely act
ourselves in such manner as TO
fOrestall and defeat their action"
There is much truth in the Roose-
Welt logic. II would be absurd to blind
ourselves To the lessons OF the hour.
We can best preserve American peace
and promote world tranquility by not
only counselling for righteousness, but
also by maintaining preparedness to
defeat unrighteousness.
AS the Colonel tritely says. so far
as present world conditions are con-
cerned, it were as fallacious to at
tempt the establishment of world peace
through disarmament as to undertake
the establishment Of law. and order in
New York city by discharging the
police.
The Coloners constructive hope for
the future lies in World League for
the Peace Of righteousness which
shall put "the collective armed power
OF civilization" behind some body
which shall with reasonable justice
and equity represent the collective
OF civilization to do
what is right.
This latter conclusion is idealistical-
" vague. But the former conclusion
is not.-Grand Rapids Herald.
KING OF DENMARK.
tho nragapt ruler