The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-15

Inc letter was written Dy COl. ftOOse-
welt to Hudson Maxim. who read It. It
seems that Nj. Maxim had offered copies
of his book. 'Defencelcss America" to
the graduates of the different universe
ties. The class OF Boston University
refused 1t and sent n letter to MIR.
Maxim's publisher. That letter was
shown to Col Roosevelt. who wrote to
Mr.. Maxim in part as follows
Peace Men saddened Him.
~ was saddened by the extraordinary
letter sent you by the three young men
who purported to speak for the senior
class of the college OF which they are
members. The course OF conduct which
these men and those like them advocate
for the nation would Of course not only
mean a peculiarly craven avoidance OF
national duty by our people at this time.
but would also inevitably tend perma-
nently TO the spirit OF individ-
ual cowardlce no less than OF national
c~owariice. The professional paciiists.
the professional peace at any price men.
who during the last five years have been
so active. Who have pushed the mis-
chievous all arbitration treaties NJ
Washington, who have condoned our
criminal inactivity as rega rds Mexico
and above all as regards the questions
AflSfu " TIE klfdA WITH Ndl NV
raging. and who have applaudcd our
AFFECT failure 10 live up to the obliGn-
tons imposed upon us AZ a signatory
Power Of the Hague conventions. are AZ
best an unlovely body OF men, and taken
as n whole are probably the most un-
desirable citizens that this country con-
,ains. But II is less shocking TO see
such sentiments developed among old
men than among young mon. The col
1-.A go. g.s .ah A.- - NANN shAa
peace at any price leagues are engaged,
according 10 their feeble abilities. In
! c~ultlvating a standard Of manhood which
II logically applied you'd make them
I desire TO 'arbitrate' with any tough in
div!dual who slapped the sister or sweet
heart OF one OF them in the face. Well
meaning people. as We all know. some
times advocate a course OF action which
IL Infamous and. as was proved by
the great Copperhead party ffty years
ago. there are always some brave men
10 be found condoning or advocating
deeds OF national cowardice.
"But the fact remains hat the advo-
Gates OF pacifcism who have beer
most prominent in our country during
the past FIVE years have heen preach.
ing ~poltroonery. Such preaching. II
persevered In long enough. ~softens the
fibre Of n nation. and above all OF
those preaching It and II II is reduced
to practice II Is ruinous TO n%atiouaI
character. These men have been koins
their best to make us the China OF tn.
Occident: and the college students
such as those OF whom you speak have
+ already reached a level considerably
below tina to which the higher type oi
Chinaman has now struggled on his
upward path.
calls Cowardice . sin.
ION the whole. for tho nation as FOL
tho individual. the most contemplate
of all sins Is the sin OF oowardice. AND
while there are other sins as base there
are none baser. Tho prime duty FOL
this nation Is to prepare itself so tina
It can protect itself and this IL IN,
duty that you are preaching IN you
admirable volume. II Is only when thi'
duty has been accomplished that W.
shall be able TO perform the furthe,
duty Of helping the cause OF worlc
righteousness by hacking the cause o
the international peace OF Justice 9th,
only kind of peace worth having, no
merely by words put by deeds. A peac,
conference such az that which some o.
our countrymen propose at the momen
20 hold Ia purely noxious, until as
preliminary We put ourselves In suct
shape that what We say will excite tn
respect and not the derision Of foreier
nations: and furthermore until we hav,
by practical action shown that We ar
heartily ashamed OF ourselves for on
craven abandonment Of duty in not dar
ing to say a word when tho Hal gu,
conventions were ruthlessly violated be
fore our eyes. Righteousness must b.
put before peace. and peace must n
recognized as Of value only when II i
the handmaiden OF Justice.
1.-THE doctrine OF national or indi
vidual neutrality between right ant
wrong II an ignoble doctrine unworth,
the support OF any brave or honorable
men. II IN wicked to be neutral h
tween right and wrong and this state
ment can be successfully refuted onl
by men who are prepared to hold u
Pontius PLATE, the a.ch typical neu
trail OF all time. ms worthy OF our ad
miration. An ignoble peace may be IN
worst crime against humanity: an,
righteous war may represent the great
est service a nation can at a given me
ment render to itself and to man
kind.
"Our people also need to como I
their sense about tho manufacture an
sale OF arms and ammunition. OF cours
the same moral law applies here he
tween nations as between Individual
within a nation. There In not IN
slightest difference between selling an
munition In time of war and In tim
OF peace. because when sold In tin
OF peace 1t IL only sold with A view t
the possibility or likelihood of war.
should never he sold TO people who wi
make bad use of It. and 1t shout
freely be sold at all times to those VIII
VIII use II for a proper purpose.
In absolutely essential that We shout
have stores w.,ere citizens Of a natio
can buy arms and ammunition. II II
service to good citizenship TO sell a re
: volver to an honest householder for us
aga!ns. burglars or to a policeman ~
use against gunner. 1t Is an outrag
aga,ns. humanity knowingly to sell Hic
, n revolver to a burglar or a gunmar
Tho morality Of this sale depends upo
tho purpose and the probable use, Tn,
Is true among individuals. 1t 10 no les