The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-30
Paper Is Read Before Amer ican Sociological Society
 in Annual Session
WARLIKE NATIONS
 CANNOT BE CHECKED
Derides Theories of the Pacificists. Says They Are a We'll Meaning People-Professor Attacks
 Rooseveltian Argument

Washington, December 29.-A paper by Theodore Roosevelt on Social Values and National Existence" furnished a theme for an animated discussion today before the American Sociological society in an- nual session here. It was read by Prof. Edward A. Ross of the University of Wis consin, president of the society.
 Infinitely the most important fact to remember in connection with the war and militarism in relation to moral and social yalues,'" wrote Mr. Roosevelt, lis that after an interruptions war, militaristic nations alike are not held in check by the warlike ability of a neighboring non- militaristic and well-behaved nation. The latter is spared the necessity of dealing with moral and social values because it won't be allowed to deal with anything.
 Tt seems to me positively comic to fail to appreciate with the example of Bel gium before our eyes, that the real ques- tion which modern peace-loving nations have to face, is not how the militaristic or warliSe spirit within their own borders will affect the values but how failure on their part to resist the militarism of an interruptions neighbor will affect them."s
 MT. Roosevelt referred to medieval Per sia and Russia and to modern China, Co., req and Armenia, to show what happened to nations which applied practically the theories of paciists.
 WELL MEANING PEOPLE
 There are well-meaning people," con tinued the letter, utterly incapable of learning any lesson taught by history; ut terly incapable of understanding alright what has gone before their very eyes during the past year or two; who never theless wish to turn their 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 al well-meaning, who find it to their profit to pander to the desire found in a number or men to live softly and easily, and avoid risks. And there are the timid and lazy men; men absorbed in money getting; men absorbed in obtaining ease and lux ury, and also the slothful people, natu- rally hailing with delight anybody who will give them high-sounding names be- hind which to cloak their unwillingness to run risks or to toll and endure. Emo- tional philanthropists to whom thinking is dstasteful form of mental exercise, enthusiastically champion this attitude"
 Discussing the mental confusion of the average citizen who thinks war in itself wrong, MT. Roosevelt wrote that war could be defined as the use of force between nations and that the question of whether it was right or wrong depended purely upon the spirit and purpose for which it was waged.
 FORCE IS IMMORAL
 There are, of course, persons who believe all force is immoral, and that 1t is immoral to resist wrongdoing by force," he added. q have never taken much interest in individuals who pro- fess that kind of morality and l do not know the extent to which they practically apply it. But of course, if they are right in the theory, then it is wrong for a man to endeavor by hi wifi eicto n