Omaha daily bee., 1916-04-30
CALLS THE WEST
TO AID IN GOOD
WORK FOR PEACE
Roosevelt Tells Us Americanism
Is on Trial and Pleads for
Stand Against the Duty
Shirker.
FOR A vIRILE, ROBUST PEOPLE
Asks Preparedness to Help the Soul
Of the Nation Against Dangers
of Sloth.
PLEADS FOR STRONGER FIBER

CHICAGO, April 29.--Amerlcan
ism is on trial, with the national
character In the balance, Theodore
Roosevelt said in preparedness
appeal here tonight TO. the people
living In the territory between the
Alleghenics and the Rockies The
former president, speaking before the
Illinois Bar association, discussed
National Duty and international
Ideals" alluding TO conditions In
Mexico and In Europe and urging in
dustrial and social as we'll as mill
tary preparedness.
II ask you Of the west" he said. ITO
take the lead IN the effort for a robust
and yIllle nationalism, III and ready TO
cope With all possible dangers a. home
and abroad 'ss ! ask for military pre-
parodnees as un arm 10 help the soul
of the nation ! ask for Il to quicken
The national conscience. TO help the ma
tional discipline = ask you to pre-
pare NO that we may secure peace for
ourselves and for others; not the peace
of oowardicc nor the peace OF soifshnoss.
but the peace OF righteousness and OF
Justice. the peace Of brave men pledged
70 the service Of this mighty democratic
republic. and through TINT service pledged
also to the service Of the world az large.
AmericnDism Is on Trial.
our national character is in the bal
ance. Amcrieansm is on trial. II We
produce merely tho self-seeklng, ease
loving duty-shirking man, whether he
be mere materialist or mere silly
sentimentalIst; n We produce only Tho
Americanssm Of the CRATER and tho mol
lycoddle and the safety-first. get-rich-
quick. peace-at.any-prlc man, we VIII
have produced an American faithful only
TO the spirit Of tho Tories Of 1875, and tho
copperheads OF 1881, and 1T only to van
ish from the earth"
Colonel Roosevelt said he did not agree
with these prophets Of gloom who have
said that the west. prosperous and In
different. secure In its fancied safety
because II Ia in the middle Of the conti-
ncnt, cares nothing OF tho dangers that
might bofall the cities on the Atlantic
or the Pacific coast, cares nothing for
what has befallen the dweiiers along the
Neeican boundary"
"Tf did, he declared. IT should de-
spair Of the republic. The west is to a
peculiar degree tho democratic, the in
tenseiy and characteristically American
section OF our land. The west produced
for the service OF the whole nation Abra,-
ham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson, and
I know that their spirit is still tho spirit
Of her sons. appeal to the men OF the
west to take the lead In the movement
for the genuine naturalization OF our
people"
stands for Protection.
Discussing industrial preparedness,
Colonel Roosevelt said he stood heart
lily for protection"
by that mean not only protection
TO American industries and to the ma
terial interests Of American workingmen,
farmers and business men" he explained,
II also mean, and with even greater
emphasis, protection for the whole Amer
lean nation, protection for American
honor. protection for Americas self-re-
spect, protection for Americas position
among the nations protection FOR her
a