The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-26
For the Past Is Months, De-
clared Theodore
Roosevelt
TAMELY SUBMITTED AS
WEAK WERE WRONGED
Former President Addressed
Plattsburg Military In
struction Camp

|
Plattsburg, Aug. 26.Iheodore Roose
welt in an address last night at the mil
itary instruction camp here, declare
that for thirteen months the Unite
States had ''played an ignoble par
among the nations" in that it ha'
''tameiy submitted to seeing the weak
whom we had covenanted to protect
wronged," and "had seen our own men
women and children murdered on thu
high seas without action on our part
The former president condemned the
government for having mot taken the
smallest step in the way of preparedness
to defend our own rights" Germany, he
condemned as utterly brutal and ruth.
less in its disregard of international mo.
lrality" and declared that it would be a
base abandonment Of morality" for
American manufacturers OF munitions OF
war to refuse to make shipments "for
| the use Of the armies that are striving
to restore Belgium to its own people"
| Munition makers who refused to make
such shipments should be put, he said,
on "roll of dishonor." He added that
they should be encouraged so that we
may be able to hold our own when the
hour of peril comes to us in our turn"
His speech follows in part:
Free citizens should be allowed to do
their own fighting. The professional
pacifcist is as much out of place in n
democracy as is the poltroon himself;
and he is no better citizen than the pol
troon. Probably no body of citizens in
the United States during the last five
years, have wrought so efficiently for
national deeadence and international deg
radiation, as the professional pacitcists,
the peace-at-any- price men, who have
tried to teach our people that silly all
inclusive arbitration treaties and the ut
terance of fatuous platitudes at peace
congresses are substitutes for adequate
military preparedness.
"Under the conditions of modern war
fare it is the widest nonsense to talk
OF men springing to arms in mass un-
less they have been taught how to act
in mass and how to use the arms to
which they spring For thirteen months
America has played an ignoble part
among the nations. We have tamely
submitted TO seeing the weak, whom we
had conyenanted to protect, wronged. We
have seen our own men, women and chill
dren murdered on the high seas without
action on our part. We have treated
elooution as substitute for action. Dur
ing this time our government has not
taken the smallest step in the way OF
TO defend our own rights. |
Yet these thirteen months have made
evident the lamentabe fact that force |
is more dominant now in the affairs of
the world than ever BEFORE that the |
most powerful OF modern military ma
tions is utterly brutal and ruthless in
its disregard OF international morality, |
and that righteousness divorced from
force is utterly futile. Reliance upon
words unbacked by deeds
il proof of mind that dwells only in
The realm of shadow and Of shame.
"The government has not paid dol
ar for this camp. lnasmuch as we as
4 nation have done nothing whatever for
national defense during the past thir-
Teen months, the time when during all
our history il was most necessary to
prepare for self-defense, il is well that
private individuals should have tried,
however insu1iciently, 90 provide some
Nind of substitute for proper govern
mental action. The army officers and en-
listed men have put all good Americans
mder fresh debt by what they have
lone in connection with this camp; aud
Nc owe much 10 the private citizens
Who have advanced the money without
Which the camp could not have been
ield. But YOU men have had 70 buy
our own uniforms: You have had TO 6
pend money In fifty different ways
\ other words. YOU have had 10 pay for !
be privilege Of learning how TO serve
our country.
This means that for every one man
Ike yourselves who can afford % come J
ere there are a hundred equally good {
american citizens, equally patriotic. who =
.ould like 20 come and are unable TO.
il undcmocratic that the Young farm. I
+. that the young hired man on = farm, ?
rat the hard-working clerk or mechanic
: day laborer, all OF whom wish 20 e
rive the country as much ~ you do Z
nd are a. much entitled to the benefit 2
tins camp a. You are, should - un.
BE 20 attend such a camp. They can. v
u attend Il unless tSe nation does - G
y itgerlsnd has done aud gives the op- .
lrtunity Tor every generous and right
linking American g. learn hy say six =
onfhs actual service IN one year Or ]
70 wears how a. 10 he duty t. the e
Buntry 81 the need arises-and the =
mericams who are not right think ing q
lould h. made - serve auyhow. for =
dernocrnrr has full right - the serV. y
p ri its eitizrus. u
Camps iile this ara Schools 81 eitie 2
rtue. a. wen - - military efieirnrf -
ter shuuld - universal and ahiiea ~
~ for an eur vuurf men Every man y
NTH h. salt uil wish a. cume - thcfn >
J ffG The professional paeifeists aud >
~ F..h;os', L