The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-12-30
Only Force Can Crush Evil
Nationalisms, Says
Roosevelt
IN STIRRING LETTER
TO SOCIOLOGISTS
Fear of War Has Led to
Many a Down
fall

Washington, d. c., Dec. 30.--A paper
by Theodore Roosevelt on "Social Values
and National Existence" furnished a
theme for an animated discussion yes
terday before the American Sociological
society in annual session here.
1t was read by Prof. Edward A. Ross
of the University of Wisconsin, president
of the society.
Infinitely the most important fact
to remember in connection with the war
and militarism in relation TO moral and
social values wrote Mr.. Roosevelt, is
that if an INSCRIPTIONS warlike, and
militaristic nation is not held in check
| by the warlike ability of neighboring
non militaristic and well behaved nation,
then the latter will be spared the neces-
sity of dealing with moral and social
values because it won't be allowed TO
deal with anything.
1T seems to me positively comic to
fail to appreciate, with the example of
Belgium before our eyes, that the real
question which modern peace loving ma
tions have to face is not how militaristic
or warlike spirit within their own bor-
ders viii affect these values but how
failures on their part 10 resist the mill
tarism of an INSCRIPTIONS neighbor will
affect them"
Mr.. Roosevelt referred to medieval
Persia and Russia and to modern China,
Korea and Armenia to show what hap
pened to nations which apply practical
ly TO theories of paciiists. "There are
well meaning people" says his paper, |
utterly incapable OF learning any les |
son taught by history, utterly incapable |
of understanding Alright what has gone
on before their very eyes during the !
past year or two who nevertheless wish /
to turn this country into an occidental
China-the kind OF China which every
intelligent Chinaman OF the present day
is seeking to abolish. There are plenty
of politicians, by no means as well mean
ing, who find it to their profit to pam
der TO the desire common to most men
to live softly and easily and avoid risks
and effort.
There are OF course persons who be-
lleve ali force is immoral, that il is inn
moral to resist wrong doing by force"
he added. 81 have never taken much in
terest TO individuals who profess this
kind of morality; and / do not know the
sxtent to which they practically apply
It. But of course, if they are right,
then IL is wrong for man to endeavor !
BY force to save his wife or sister or
laughter from abuse, or to save his chill i
iren from abduction and torture. Ii is $
! waste of time TO discuss with any man '
. position of such folly. y
IF a man who objects 10 war objects q
% the use of force in civil life his posi- $
ion is logical, although absurd and (
md wicked. ii the college presidents,
automobile manufacturers I
nd the like who during the past year r
n two have preached pacifcism in its a
most ignoble form. are willing to think n
mt the subject and are sincere and fair >
y intelligent, they must necessarily con- 2
emn a police force OF a posse comitatus d
ust as much as they condemn armies, $
nd they never regard the activities of
he sheriff and the constable as being es- n
entislly militaristic and therefore TO "
e abolished.
"The Sociological society meets a. q
this year" continued the pa a
er, "only because the man after whom b
be city was named was willing to 20 a
D war. If he and his associates had not
one 10 war there would have been no
disability Of discussing social values in
he United States for the excellent rea- p
IN that there would have been no Unit.
4 States. II Lincoln had not been will
y 70 20 70 war, TO appeal 10 the sword,
, introduce militarism on q tremendous =
ale throughout the United States, the
biologists who will listen 10 this paper. ~
they exist az all, would not be con :, I.
dering the social values enumerated >
Dove tie social values Of slavery and
ich governmental and industrial prob y
ms a. can now be studied in the CEN =
al American republics"
AT present in this world and for the !.
mediate future" wrote Mr.. Roosevelt i.
conclusion. 20 IL CERTAIN that the only m
az successfully to oppose the might :,
hich is the servant Of wrong. j. BY
cans Of the might which is the servant :,
right 81
The delegates In discussion pronounced -
IL colonels theory fsllaciOus. :,
Prof. John Metz Of the American 4
ace society attacked the coionels ar
Imemt. Professor HAYES 81 the Uni-
rsfty 81 Illinois, said he agreed with !,
lionel Roosevelt up q certain point !,
-Kooserelt's citation from history :,
ia be- Shave overlooked the great ele. ~
ut ~ changes. AT great STEPS in ad-
ncs have been called imrractieahie up
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