New Britain herald., 1915-08-26


 elected to serve demand that he be loyal to the honor and to the inter- csts of the land.
 The president has the right to have said of him nothing but what is true; he should have sufficient time to make his policy clear. But as regards supporting him in all pub- lie policy, and above all in interna- tional policy, the right of any pres- ident is only to demand public sup- port because he serves the public well and not merely because he is president.
 Presidents Only Mortal. "President differ, just like other folks No man could effectively stand by President Lincoln unless he had stood against President Buchanan. If, after the firing on Sumter, presi- dent Lincoln had in a public speech said that believers in the Union were 1 too proud to fight, and if, instead of acting therc had been three months admirable, elocutionary correspon- dence With Jefferson Davis, by mid summer the friends of the Union, would have followed Horace Greeley's advice to let erring sisters go in peace at that day was put above righteousness by some mistaken soult, just as it is at the present day.
 The men who believe in peace at any price or in substituting all in- elusive arbitration treaties for an army and navy should instantly move to China. If he stays here, then more manly people will have to defend him, end he is not worth defending Let him get out of the country as quickly o1@ substitute for action, to repy upon high h-sounding words unless backed by deeds, is proof of a mind that dwells only in the realm of shadow and sham.
 Although he refrained from speak ing directly of the crisis of today in our affairs with Germany the colo nel by his attitude led no one to be- lleVe he counsels watchful waiting in the least entertains pro-Teutonic sen- timent.
 Address in Full
 Following is the address, in full, Colonel Roosevelt made in the camp
 | wish to congratulate all who have been at this Plattsburg camp and at the similar camps throughout the country upon the opportunity they have had to minister to their own self respect by fitting themselves to serve the country if the need should arise. ! You have done your duty. In doing | it you have added to your value as citizens. You have the right to hold your heads higher because you are fulfilling the prime duty of free men, No man is fit to be free unless he is not merely willing but eager to fit himself to fight for his freedom, and no man can fight for his freedom unless he is trained to act in cOnjunc- tion with his fellows.
 The worst of all feelings to arouse in others is the feeling of contempt. Those men have mean souls who de- sire that this nation shall not be fit to. defend it's own rights and that it's sons shall not possess a high and resolute temper. But even men of stout heart need to remember that when the hour for action has struck no courage will avail unless there has been thorough training, thorough preparation in advance.
 ''The greatest need for this country is a first-class navy
 Next we need thoroughly trained regular and professional army of, 2OO,- 900 men if we have universal mili- tary service, and of at least half a
 
 universal military service.
 At present a single army corps from Germany or Japan( which if substracted from the efficient fight ing forces of either, would not even | be felt) could at any time be ferried across the ocean and take New York and San Francisco and destroy or hold them to ransom with absolute ho fat ot present would be helpless to do more than blame some scapegoat for what was. really the fault of our people as a whole in failing to prepare in ad- vance against the day of disaster.
 Must Train Citizens.
 But the professional navy and the professional army are not enough 1 Free citizens should be able to do their own fighting. The professional pacifist is as much out of place in a democracy as is the poltroon him. self, and he is no better citizen than the poltroon. Probably no body of citizens in the United States during the last five years have wrought so efficiently for national decadence and international degradation as the pro- fessional pacifists, the peace ce-at-any- price men, who have tried to teach our people that silly all-inclusive ar bitration treaties and the utterance of fatuous platitudes at peace con- gresses are substitutes for adequate military preparedness. These people ] are seeking to Chinafy this country
 "A high Japanese military officer i recently remarked to gentleman of i my acquaintance that the future do- 1 minion over the seas and lands of the 1 Pacific lay with Japan, because China 1 was asleep and America was falling 1 asleep, and in this world the future l