Evening star., 1915-05-12
Former President Roosevelt
Advocates Prompt Action in
Lusitania Case.
REGARDS SOME THINGS
AS WORSE THAN WAR
Says All American Commerce With
Teutonic Government Should Be
at Once Forbidden.

SYRACUSE. n. Y, May 1c.-Former
President Theodore Roosevelt last night
made plea for prompt action by the
United States on account of the l.usi-
tania disaster, while commenting on
the speech made by President Wilson
Monday night TO gathering of natur-
allied Americans in Philadelphia. COL.
Roosevelt was particularly interest cd
in that part of the Presidents speech
in which the latter referred To such n
thing as a man being too proud to
tight and "A nation being SO right that
it does not need to convince others 10y
force that il is right
Il think that China is entitled to
draw all the comfort she can from this
statement" said Col. Roosevelt, "dnd
it would be well for the United States
to ponder seriously what the effect
upon China has been of mana ging her
foreign affairs during the last nfteen
Years on the theory thus enunciated.
IF the United States is satisfied with
occupying some time in the future the
precise international position that China
now occupies, then the United states can
afford to act OH this theory. But 1t
cannot act on this theory if 1T desires
to retain or regain the position won for
it under Washington and the men VINO
in the days of Abraham Lincoln wore
the blue under Grant and the gray un-
der Lee"
Hopes President Will Act Promptly.
Referring to President Wilson, he
said:
IT very earnestly hope that he will
act promptly. The proper time for de-
liberation was prior to sending the
message that our government would
hold Germany to a strict account
ability II It did the things which it has
now actually done
The LEO babies drowned on the Lus-
ftania, the hundreds of women drowned
with them-scores of these women and
children being Americans-and the
American ship, the Gulfiight, which
was torpedoed-ofrer an eloquent COM
mentary on the actual workings of the
theory that it is not necessary to assert
rights, and that a policy of blood and
iron can with efficacy be met with
policy of blood and water.
i see 1t stated in the dispatches from
Washington that Germany now offers
to stop the practice of murder on the
high seas committed in violation of the
neutral rights she is pledged to pre-
servo If we will now abandon further
neutral rights, which by her treaty she
has solemnly pledged to see that we
exercise without molestation.
Entitled to No Answer.
Such a proposal is not even entitled
to an answer. The manufacture and
shipment of arms and ammunition to
any belligerent is moral or immoral,
according to the use to which the arms
and munitions are to be put If they
are to be used to prevent the redress of
hideous wrongs inflicted on Belgium
then IL Is immoral to ship them. If
they are to be used for the redress of
those wrongs and the restoration of
Belgium TO her deeply wronged and un-
offending people then it is eminently
moral to send them.
Without twenty-four hours delay
this country should and could take ef-
fective action by declaring that in view
of Germanys murderous offenseS
against the rights of neutrals all com
with forbidden and all commerce of
every kind permitted and encouraged
with France. England and the rest of
the civilized world.
Not a Declaration of War.
This would not be a declaration of
war. 1t would merely prevent muni-
tons of war being sent to a power
which. by It's conduct, has shown will
ingness to use munitions for the
slaughter of unoffending men, women
and children.
Il do not believe that the firm asser-
ton of our rights means war. but it is
well to remember there are things worse
than war.
Let us as a nation understand that
peace is of worth only when it is the
handmaiden of international righteous
ness and of national self-respect'