New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-26
u. 5. HAS PLAYED
AN IGNOBLE PART,
SAYS ROOSEVELT
The Colonel at Plattsburg
Classes Germans with
Thugs and Burglars.
HYPHEN GENTRY MUST
FIGHT OR BE SHOT
War Training Should Be Univer-
sal and Obligatory, He Says
Big Hike on Tomorrow.
,From s,sa Correspondent; Of Tie Trisune.l

Big Hike on Tomorrow
fy-,,, sisr Correspondent Of Tie Tribune.l
PlattsburZ, y. y, Aug 25.-Before
crowd Of nearly 5000 men and women,
on the quiet Lakeside drill ground OF
the military instruction camp here
this afternoon, Theodore Roosevelt
voiced a popularity received attack on
our unpreparedness for defence, linked
pacifsts with poltroons and college
assies, and classified the Germans with
burglars, thugs and white slavers.
He walked to the centre Of the
gathering with the intention of con-
fning himself to a prepared speech
q5O0 words long. But the reception
given his every striking statement so
stirred his enthusiasm that he let him.
self 20. He spoke for more than an
hour.
There was no mention by name Of
nv man at present in the national
administration, or recently of it, but
his hearers asked no identities. In
full Khaki uniform, similar to that
worn by him in the Spanish war, his
attire vitalized his appeal for display
Of patriotism and his warning that the
hour Of battle for US will not be long
in striking.
When he progressed to the hyphen-
sted American question he became
vehement.
"If."he exclaimed, q and those who
believe as I do have any say when the
time comes, hyphenated Americans Will
fight beside US or they'll be shot.
They'll be given their opportunity 10
risk a shot from the front or accept
the certainty of being shot in the
back"
Colonel Talks in Dark.
The 1.4OO professional and business
men who are here taking instruction
were souatteG on the drill ground slop-
ing down to Lake Champlain, whose
west bank was a few yards away, a
few minutes after $3.50 o'clock this
evening when the Colonel. accompanied
by General Leonard Wood, started tow
ard the grounds. Second by second the
crowd grew. Six hundred officers and
men Of the regular army closed up the
space behind where Colonel Roosevelt
was to stand. From the town Of Platts-
burg, two miles distant, came hundreds
Of men aud women in carriages and
automobiles, and many walked. There
were hundreds more from the Hotel
Champlain. at Bluff Point. Mrs. Wood,
wife Of the general; DR.. and Mrs.
Richard Derby, the latter Colonel
Roosevelt's daughter Ethel; Theodore
Roosevelt, jr., Philip Roosevelt, the
Colonel's nephew, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Willard D. Straight were in the gather
ing.
The light was fading when Colonel
Roosevelt, notes in hand, began to talk
II wac very dark when he ended. A
photographer tall tripod was mounted
behind him and on it lantern was
placed to give him light TO read by.
Most of the students" were smoking.
The Colonel could see the faces of only
those near him; the presence of others,
except when they applauded him, was
known to him only by the burning
ends Of cigars and cigarettes. Lights
in the tents, whose nearest row was
sixty yards away, had been doused
Pacifsts and Poltroons.
General Wood led Colonel Roosevelt
into the space kept open for him and
introduced" him. The first cheer was
not particularly strong, but the Colonel
got his hearers started when, with his
opening remarks, he praised General
Wood and the spirit of the camp and
told the students to 60 back with what
they learn here TO your less civilized
fellows who do not realize what is
being done here"
And want TO say another word for
the officers of the United States Army"
he said. 1T is wicked nonsense to
speak of these officers as being anxious
for war or being anxious TO instlll a
war spirit in you in this camp. These
officers know too well the horrors Of
war. True, while they hate war there
are things they hate worse"
The fate of Belgium, the Colonel
said, should have been a warning to
Us long ago. Unprt pared, her men
lacking both training and the weapons
Of war, she had to submit to an out
rageous German visitation and rule.
I'VE have with u.s." he went on, "the
peace at-any-price man. Let me say
to you that the peace at-any-price man
Is no better citizen than the poltron, >
and the crowd cheered
Two dogs an Airedalp terrier.
owned by Captain r. o. Van Horn,
l. S. A., leaped together to where the
Colonel was standing. As they
frohcked there and refused for few
minutes TO choose another playground,
Colonel Roosevelt interrupted himself
10 say:
Plan to Chinafy Country.
81 suppose that VIC have here a
couple of pacifsts."
He dilated on pacifsts for some time,
and on their plan to Chinafy this
country"
Il wouldn'. mind our pacifists,' he
declared, IF, in trying to test their
ideas of Chinafying a country, they
move to China, and | apologize to
China when | say that. | want you
10 understand, when | refer to pacifists,
that / am as heartily opposed as any
one can be TO wanton war. But in
International matters rules of NOR
atty. should apply as we'll as in per-
sonal matters"
This was applauded At the height
Of the cheering Colonel Roosevelt
raised his right nand. Don't" he
said. 81 DO not want the applause of
any man for that statement on inter
national morality unless that man has
burning sense of shame that the