Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-28
"Prel,,,rp

\V/HAT was left of the pachst argument
w and of the opposition TO preparedness
after President Wilson's speech before the
Railroad Business Association. in New York
last night. would be difficult to discover.
Plainly and soberly. without excitement or
rhetoric. without anger passion the Presi-
dent sounded the national call to arms
The choice is not between peace and war.
nor between love of peace and love of war.
This country is devoted to the ideals Of
peace as to the arts of peace. That this de-
voton is shared by the President has been
proved against the heaviest possible odds
i'll these days of almost universal strife. |
have sought he said last night, "to maintain
peace against very great, and sometimes. very
unfair odds, and am ready at any time to
use every power that is in me to prevent such
Il catastrophe as war coming upon this coun-
try" But he continues:
There is something that the american
people love better than they love peace.
fhcy lov" the principles upon which
thcr political life is founded. They ut
u" time viii seek Il contest. but th"v
NJ nc time openly avoid II. Because If
there is thing that the country
ought TO fight for. and that every
ton OUGHT t" fsht fer it is nter-
riiN % its own convictions We cannot
Snrr"nder our convictions. would
rather surrender territory tran sur
render those ideals which are the star
OF ne Tor III. soul itself And beraus"
We hold certain ideals, we have though,
il was right should hold them for
Others ms vel, as for ourselves.
1t is not necessary in this place to follow
i'll detail Mr. Wilson's argument. The speech
is. printed elsewhere in this issue Of Tie
Times Dispatch, and no man who holds
his countrys honor dear should fail to read
Ii and perm, its cold logic to sink home
It's plain common sense. its moderate state
ment OF facts and conclusions. the patriotism
that inspires il and the high intelligence that
animates and Eliminates it are craven ON
every word
men will agree-that we stand pledged and
committed to defend first, our rights as a
nation; second. the unhampered and un
hindered realization of our own political de-
veopment, and. third. the peace and political
autonomy of all America. Each Of these is
menaced to-day; one at least-the right of a
nation TO protect its citiZens--has been al
ready the object Of armed attack. What the
future may bring forth no man knows. but
the dangers the future holds are understo God
by no man i'll this country we'll as by the
President-and he bids the nation prepare
We are sensible people. he tells us. and
we ought to be as willing to prove il as to
believe il. This is not a matter OF party
politics, he tells us again. and that should be
As welcome as il is obvious. Woe to anv
man. he pruclaims, who plays marplot or
VINO seeks to make party politics or personal
ambition take precedence OF candor honor
ana unselhsh. bipartisan service!"
mere VIII ne those VINO hnu III this phrase
intended allusion to William Jennings Bryan
but it describes more accurately the activities
and the temper Of Theodore Roosevelt The
real obstacle to preparedness in this nation
alfer the lovers Of the pork barrel have been
thrust aside, will be apprehensions Of con
scription, militarism, overburdensome taxa
ton, Prussian glorifcation of the state and
the whole system of government that Colonel
Roosevelt typifies He it is who lets per
sonal ambition take precedence Of cantlor
honor and unselfish. bipartisan service" and
whose overweening egotism more than
Bryans pacnsm--threatens The success of
sane and adequate preparedness plan
The little kingdom of Montenegro may he
added to the jewels in the Hapsburg crown
News item. If il is. il will be about as con