Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-05-12
ROOSEVELT OUT
IN OPEN FIGHT
FOR PRESIDENCY
Efforts Under Way
by "Nonpartisan League"
Americanism Keynote

oyster Bay, N. ". May 12.-Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt late yesterday
formally entered the race for the nom
ination as President by the Republican
and Progressive conventions at Chicago
on June in a letter which he sent to
Guy Emerson. secretary of the Roose-
welt Non partisan League. The league
was organized with the object of OBJ
tanning Colonel Roosevelts nomination
by a reunited party. Colonel Roose-
welt stated in so many words that ne
approves" what the league is doing.
The Roosevelt letter places an entire
ly new complexion upon the pohticai
situation. One sentence was consider
ed especially significant, as 1t was gen
orally believed to REFER TO Justice
Hughes, who, according to many IN
spired stories Roosevelt and the Pro-
gressive party were ready to support.
Il do not have to improvise my con-
victions on either Americanism or pre-
paredness."
Il do not have to improvise my con-
vicLlons on either Americanism or pre-
paredness. l have fought for them all
my life long. and when j was Presi-
dent translated my convictions con-
cerning them into governmental policy.
The events of the last two years in
Europe. and of the last four or hvs
relief the vital need of preparedness
and the sinister revival of the politico-
racial hyphen in our politics mas em-
phasiZed the need of stern insistence
on Uhorougngoing Americanism within
our own borders.
"Twenty-one years ago. when l was
police commissioner of New York, |
said: There must be a feeling of broad,
radical and intense Americanlsm If good
work is to be done in any direction
our citizens must act as Amerlcans;
not as Americans with prenX and
qualifications; not as Irish Americans,
German Americans. Native-Amertcans-
but as Americans pure ana simple. 1t
rs an outrage for a man to drag foreign
politics into our contests and vote as an
lrishman or German, or other foreign
ers.
What 1 thus said before is what l
now say. Nineteen years ago, when |
was Assistant Secretary of the Navy. l
SAID: Preparation against war is the
surest guarantee tor peace. Cowardice
IN a race, as in an individual, as the
/ objectionable sin, and a wilful failure
10 prepare for danger may in it's eff
tects be as bad as cowardice. The timid
man who cannot fight and the selfish
short-sighted, or foolish man who will
not take the steps that will enable
him to fight, stand on almost the same
plane.
We ask for an armament fit for the
nations needs, not primarily to fight,
! but to avert nghting as long as tight
ing can honorably be averted. Pre-
paredness deters the foe and maintains
right by the show of ready might with
/ out the use of violence.
Your league emphasizes it's devotion
to these principles, and supports me
only as representing these principles.
/ This Is emphatcally the proper atti-
tude to take; and because this is your
attitude, and because you are working
/ in this spirit, l very earnestly approve
your work.
Our present troubles with Mexico
and Germany are the direct result of
our utter failure to prepare, and of our
governmental policy OF almost unbe-
lievable timidity and vacillation. A
policy of vigorous preparedness and
courteous. but immediate, insistence on
our rights from the beginning of the
war, would instead of being provo
cative have prevented all chance Of
trouble. 1t is a crime against this ma
tion and against mankind that there
has been no such preparation.
Il am glad and proud, as an Ameri-
can. that you are fearlessly and eff
cicntly backing these Ideals
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
! The general opinion last night was
/ that the letters would rip the political
! situation wide open and would mark
| the start of the real fight on the part
and advisers in the Republican and
Progressive parties to obtain the nom
I ination for him. 1t was generally pre-
dicted that it would be followed up by
a campaign conducted on the basis
/ that Colonel Roosevelt was out in the
open now. making the fight for the
nomination along these lines, and that
the fight would be kept up until there
| was a showdown In Chicago.
! The new angle which the fight has
| taken. it was felt. would end all hope
Of a compromise on Justice Hughes if
some statements before the conven-
tiOuS.