Evening star., 1914-08-16
Connecticut Convention De-
cIares for Him for Presi-
dent in 1916.
COLONEL MAKES SPEECH
ON THE WAR IN EUROPE
Declares Against Ratification Of
Arbitration Treaties Pending in
the United States Senate.

HARTFORD, conn.,. august Io.-Neariy
half the political speech Col. Theodore
Roosevelt delivered tonight before the
progressive state convention here was
devoted to discussion of "the great
cataclysm which has engulfed all Europe
in war" If the Monroe doctrine had not
been steadfastly maintained. he said. the
United States. in all probability would
have been drawn into the present
struggle.
Africa, south of the equator" Col.
Roosevelt said. sis now being drawn into
the fight although without any interest
in it. We would have been drawn in the
same way if it had not been for the OBJ
servance Of the great principle which the
Monroe doctrine contains. the principle
that this continent shall not be treated
as a place for territorial aggrandizement
by old-world powers.
Pending Treaties Inimical to q. S.
1.-The peace Of the western hemisphere
largely depends upon the preservation
of this doctrine. 1t is for this reason
feel that the arbitration treaties now
pending in the Senate would, If adopted,
be inimical to the interests of the Unit
ed States and Of peace, in so far as they
would have any effect whatever. I doubt
If they would have much effect because
in the event of their attempted execu-
tion against the interests of this peo-
pie. I do not believe they would be ex-
ecuted. But surely it is not an honorable
thing for this nation to enter into treat
les which either could not or ought
not to be kept Such action argues
badly for our sincerity and good faith.
Under the proposed treaties if. as a
result of this war, Denmark or Holland
should part with their islands in the
power. or IL at some future time. Mex
leo should similarly part with Magda-
lena bay to some old world power, we
would be solemnly bound to join in the
investigate all the matters at hand be-
fore we could take any action. and
this commission would include repre-
sentatives of outside powers.
within a fortnight we have had
fresh proof of the utter worthlessness
of treaties-of names signed to pieces
Of paper-unless backed by force, if
power of interests demands their vio-
lation. This fact has been demon
strated again and again within the
of the great nations engaged in this
war. or who stand with their armies
partially modified and their fleets gath
cred because of the possibility of being
drawn into it.
Complications Possible.
These proposed arbitration treaties of
ours would not be worth the paper on
which they were written If 1t became the
interest of any great military power to
violate them. and If it thought 1t could
violate them with impunity. We would
have bound ourselves In such cases as
I have illustrated to wait a year or SO
while a joint commission pursued its
weary courses of investigation, and dur
ing that time old-world military power,
If it desired to retain its new possessions,
could make Gibraltar of one of our
west Indian islands. or of Magdalena bay.
or any other point of territory which 1t
acquired, and 1t could then defy US to
turn 1t out save at the cost of war, which
might be as dreadful as any now raging. "
Indorse Roosevelt for President.
In resolutions adopted at meet
ing prior to the arrival of Col. Roose-
velt the progressives of Connecticut
reaffirmed their allegiance to the prin-
ciples of the national platform. in
dorsed Theodore Roosevelt for the
presidency: condemned the democratic
national administration as disastrous
to the interests of the state, declared it
would be a calamity and a disgrace to
our state II our people, in the just ef-
fort to rebuke democratic incompe-
tence, were left with no alternative ex-
cept to vote a restoration of power to
the discredited and machine-ridden re-
publican organization" and favored a
permanent, non-political tariff COM
mission.
Referring to the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad the reso-
lutions declare:
1.-The financial wrecking of the great
railroad system of our state is largely
to be blamed upon the republican state
machine and the democratic national
organization" the resolutions say. ''has
accomplished nothing toward the pun
inshment of and restitution from the
guilty"