The Washington times., 1916-02-16
Unofficial New York Convention
Enthusiastic Over Attack on
Administration.
PRESIDENT CALLED MENACE
White oHuse Indicted for Its
Policies Toward Mexico and
on European War.

NEW YORK, Feb. l6.-In one of tho
most masterful oratorial efforts OF hiN
career, Elihu Root sounded the call to
arms of the Republican party last night
at the unofficial State convention IN
Carnegie Hall.
policy in Mexico and the failure Of the
United States Government to put itself
on record by protesting against the in-
vasion of Belgium brought volumes or
cheers and applause from the 1000 men
Root got his first real ovation after
he had begun to speak. when he said:
''The government that shakes its fist
first and then its finger. falls into con-
tempt"
threats and the failure to make them
good. Brief reference to Secretary
Daniels was received with scornful
laughter.
wnsn our ",oS Government eo% mt 1s,s fsssed ,s ss
diplomacy became bankrupt"
Great applause followed when he
said:
"To treat wrong as right is treason
to the right"
Changes Mind On T. r.
In his printed speech Root had In
tended to make reference to Theodore
Roosevelt, but he did not do so when
ne delivered his address.
Root took an hour and twenty-five
minutes to make his address. Mingled
cheers and applause greeted his de-
preSehiSg ss0 % hue hSmaEity PDiS withoStp ps sction.
He called such procedure idle patter
and mere sentimentality.
The delegates caught the slgnih-
canoe of his allusion to the Demo-
cratic tariff and. as he described II.
Its hostility to business.
There was q nervous dread lest
anybody. should make money" was
one OF his strong sentences in his
discussion Of tariff and business
Roots speech had the true ring of
the ana Presdent %ts b,vns HE
Joined hands with che very men who
had dcftled the flag and abused Amer
lean citizens in order to pull Huerta
down
He said the Government shares re-
sponsibility with the inhuman brutos
In Mexico with whom II made COM
refusal tc salute the flag, but the
purpose to turn Huerta out of offlce
that aed to the capture of Vera Cruz.
Stands For the Country.
''The Republican party stands for the
country no matter who Is President
1t stands for national power. duty and
honor" was another sentence which
stirred the convention.
Root said the defects of the present
Administration arise from two distinct
causes. first. "the training and tempera-
ment of the President" and, second.
1.-THE incapacity Of the Democratic party
as It is represented in washington. botn
in the legislative and executive de-
partments, either to originate wise poll
cies or to follow them when proposed
by others
"These characteristics will not
change" he said
There was laughter when ne mem
toned the Presidents temperament,
heard when he said. These character
istics will not change"
Roots reference to a large standing
army and what the duties OF Ameri-
cans should bc In peace or war drew
cheers and applause. The speaker SAID
the expression "too proud to fight" had
become a by-word of derision and con-
tempt for the United States
His eloquence reached its highest pitch
when he pictured the ravishing of Bel
gium in violation of acknowledged laws
to which this country was party de-
claring a contract had been broken with
eha United States by this act, and for
which we never should have been neu-
trail in legitimate protest.
Root asserted we had neither citizen
ship nor flag:
THAT Is why we have failed In Mex
replied with salvos OF applause.
Upon the record OF performance
which I have tried to describe will the
American people say that the Demo-
cratic party is entitled to be continued
In power?" Root asked,
Cries of mo, No." came from every
quarter of the auditorium.
The delegates lost their self-control
when the speaker said: I'VE had a
right to be neutral and we were. neutral
as TO the quarrel between Germany and
France but when, as an incident to
the prosecution OF that quarrel. Ger
many broke the law which we were en-
titled to have preserved and which she
had agreed with US to preserve, we
ton of our own national right"