davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Americans Murdered.

look at the facts! We kept our
selves helpless TO do justice TO or Tor
Mexico; we refused TO make ready in
any way TO protect our citizens in
Mexico, or even on our own side OF the
Mexican border. We submitted tamely
to the murder of our men and the rape
OF our women. We bore with spirtless
submission outrages upon outrages,
until the number Of our citizens killed
mounted into the hundreds.
yet. so far from securing the good
will of the Mexicans. this policy of un-
preparedness and of tame submission
70 insult and injury, merely aroused
both their anger and contempt to such
a degree that we are now engaged IN a
harassing little war along the border.
1--WE have not the forces 10 make
that war effective. We have actually
drained the coast artillery from the
seaboard defence 10 serve as infantry
down on the Mexican border THIS ma
ton Of one hundred million people, with
a territory as large is all Europe and
more wealth than any other nation in
the world possesses, has TO strip its
seacoast forts of their defenders and
put these defenders at work which they
are not trained to do. Even thus we are
wholly unable to make good our com
plete lack Of preparedness.
"If At te outset, If three years ago,
we had resolutely and with foresight
prepared to act, and then, If necessary.
acted. in Mexico, that country would
to-day be as peaceful and prosperous
as Cuba where We actually did take
the very action | advocate for Mexico.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Nav Assail United States.

"When this war is over II IS poSsloIe
that some one of the combatants, oeing
fully armed, will assail us because we
offer ourselves as rich and helpless
prize. On the other hand, 1t Is also
possible that there will be temporary
exhaustion among the comoatants, ana
a willingness, even on the part OF the
most brutal and ruthless. 10 so through
the form of saying that they are peace
full and harmless. In such event there
will be real danger lest our people pc
influenced by the foolish apostles Oh
unpreparedness 10 accept this condl-
ton as permanent, and once more 70
shirk our duty of getting ready.
81 wish to say. with all the emphasis
in nv power. that if peace in Europe
sbouid come tomorrow il ought not, IN
the smallest degree, TO affect our pollcy
If preparedness. As a matter Of fact,
we probably cannot now prepare IN any
way that will have material erect
upon the present war. Our folly mas
been such that il is now too late Tor
MS TO do this. All we can now do is TO
prepare so that the war shall leave no
a aftermath Of horror and disaster LOT
our nation. IL we fail so TO prepare,
then assuredIy some day we or our
children will have bitter cause 70 rue
our folly and 20 remember too late me
words of old Sir Thomas Browne: FOR
since we cannot be wise by teachings
there is an unhappy necessity
that we must smart in our own SKINS
81 wish especially TO call the atten-
ton of all people who may be momen-
tarilv misled by the statements OF the
peace-at-any-price men, the PROBES,
sional pacifsts of to-day, to the actual
results of our policy Of unprepared-
ness. Twenty-Five months have gone
bv since this war began. Nearly hve
wears have gone by since the revolution
in Mexico loosed on Americans IN
Mexico and on Americans on our own
side Of the border the forces of murder
and misrule.
"Yet during these five years we have
taken no efficient steps 70 control the
situation in Mexico. and during these
twenty-five months, since the world mas
been in such cstaclysm of fear and
blood as never before in its history, we
of this republic, with literally astound-
ing folly, with folly criminal from
the national standpoint. have refused
in any way to prepare. The profession
al pacifsts said, and even now say,
that such preparedness would have m
vited trouble with Mexico and trouble
with Germany, and perhaps with other
Old World powers.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31

ar. the instant that the great war
broke out in July. 1914, our fleet mad
been modified, competent man put
at the head of the Navy Department,
our army put into proper trim. ana
steps taken by our representatives AT
Washington. both executive and legis-
lative. to show that we were making
ready TO meet any eyigency that arose,
there would have been no trouble OF
any kind with any belligerent
"Of course, when we submitted TO
wrongGoing from one side, we invited
"A repetition OF that wrongdoing by
that side. and the infection Of similar
wrongs by the other side. The thou
sands Of non-combatants, men. women
and children, including many hundreds
of American men, women and children,
who have been killed on the high seas,
owe the loss of their lives primarily to
the supine inaction Of this nation;
to our failure to prepare, and our fail
ure in instant insistence on our own
rights and on those rights of others
which we had guaranteed TO protect.
"The professional pacifists insisted
that such lack of preparedness on our
part. and the observance by us OF that
kind Of neutrality which consists IN
tame acceptance OF injury from all
sides. would make us popular with az
the combatants and insure our wei
haipC
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Strikers Denounced.

"Let all these boys be given the same
kind of training, and let the best boy
cut of the bunch become an officer. Let
no one be allowed TO shirk the duty
OF preparing himself, for If he does, he
is putting on the shoulders OF better
man the burden which he himself
should carry.
ave have heard a good deal OF talk
about the officer class, that we are
getting from the volunteer training
camps OF the present day. As long as
we do not have universal military serv-
ice these camps offer the only chance
for Young men TO prepare so as to
serve the country. The man who goes
TO them renders a high and patriotic
service and incidentally profits i'm
mensely by the training and expert
ence. NV sons have gone and are go
ing TO these camps. ! believe in these
camps with all my heart and soul They
are supplying by private initiative what
cur Governmental representatives have
not the foresight to provide for every
body. AS long as our citizens do not
insist upon everybody being trained,
upon every one going 70 such camps,
WHY the boys that do go to them Will
inevitably get the commissions If war
comes.
an other words, as long as our peo-
ME do not make the training universal,
and do not make it paid for by the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Ocean No Protection.

preparedness, instead OF beng pro-
vocative OF war and injustice, tells
in favor OF peace and justice. Only
through preparedness can we do JUS
tjce 10 others. Only through prepared
ness can we secure justice for our
selves. Well-meaning persons who
have not thought seriously or deeply
on the subject sometimes assert that
we are too far away from the OId
World ever 10 fear assault or lnva-
sion.
Mace we have under our flag the Canal
ZONE and Alaska, and various islands.
These IL is absolutely impossible 10
protect from any formidable foe ex-
cept by first class navy and army.
"ln the next place, the events of the
present war show that the ocean Is now
a highway for any power whose ships
control il. We have just witnessed the
transfer by sea Of a Russian army
from Eastern Siberia TO France a sea
voyage three times as long as that
across the Atlantic. We have seen a
huge army gathered at the Dardanelies
from England. France and Australia;
and the distance from Australia TO the
Dardanelles is far greater than the
distance from Asia 20 our shores.
There gathered for the attack on
Constantinople a host Of fighting men
drawn from the great island-contnent
Of the South Pacific, and they were
loined by the fighting men Of the Brit
ish Isles. who dwelt on the opposite
side of the world. From the northern
and the southern hemispheres the
transport steamers have carried with
speed and safety. over the two great
est oceans, masses of troops ten times
as numerous as our whole mobile army
If any army half the size Of that which
attacked the Dardauelles was landed
near New York or San Francisco in
time no longer than that occupied by
the British and Australians in reach
ing the Dardanelles, We should In the
present condition OF our forces be ut
terly at its mercy. The immediate loss
would fall on the Atlantic or Pacific
coast; but we are all Americans. and
the disgrace would be shared by all
of US. wherever We live, and the blow
to our self-respect and our material
well-being would shake our whole coun-
try TO its foundations.
"Those who confidently assert that
there is no danger Of our ever being
attacked are either ignorant or forget
full Of the multitude Of examples which
show how international conflicts arise.
The pressure Of population and a de-
sire for wealth and power now, as IN
former ages, are urging nations IN the
Old World 10 get possession OF all the
unoccupied or weakly held parts of the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31

whose wives have TO exercise Plopoi
econouv in order 20 keep their nome'
happy and comfortable these are w
people who. beyond all others snoun
realize that such training shoulu ~
be reserved for the boys whose iatheI
or friends are rich enough to pay 10
IL. but should be given TO all America
BOYS at the expense OF the natioh'
"It is the present lack OF system
the present method OF allowing only
those bows TO train whose fathers nave
money, which is unfair and undemo'
cratic. Il breeds class distinction
among other unhealthy things. 90
not believe as permanent thing IN
system that merely puts the Harvard
boy alongside the Yale boy or the
Princeton boy. the big merchants son
or railroad presidents son beside the
big LAWYERS son, or, perhaps, beside
the employe OF the rich man who Is
patriotic enough TO pay his expenses.
"All this is the best that we can get
at present; and until the people as
whole wake up. But it is not enough.
believe in the system that VIII put
all the boys ! have mentioned along
side the boy whose father is a brake
man here in Missouri, or hardworking
farmer in Kansas. or factory opera
tive in Massachusetts or New Jersey
or a bookkeeper or stenograpner IN
New York or Chicago; that VIII put
all Of them beside the boy from the
mountains Of North Carolina who mas
never seen a railway train and mas al
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
T. r. Tells Men of 81
u. S. Must Prepare

This was only two years ago. Dur
ing these two wears we have seen the
most destructive war in all history
waged on a wider scale than ever IN
history before. Never before has there
been such slaughter as has been COM
pressed into the last twenty-five
months; and, alas. that il should be
written. the brutality, the ruthlessness,
the disregard for international law,
and the callous and calculated atrocl-
ties committed on n-combatants, IN
GLIDING women and children, have been
such as the civilized world has not
even approached during the past CEN
fury.
1.-TWO years ago the false prophets
who said that there never would ne
another war were applauded by all our
people who were wholly absorbed IN
money-getting; by all who cared only
for lives of soft ease and vapld pleas
ure; by all who liked 70 satisfy their
emotions cheaply and safely by ap,
plauding high sounding phrases; ana
bv the great mass Of well meaning men
who had not thought out the matter
with conscientious thoroughness.
Let us not be misled again. IN,
doubtedly as soon as this war ends all
the well-meaning, shortsighted persons
who two years ago said there never
would be war again, and VINO nave
been obliged TO be silent on this par
ticular point during the past two years
will once more begin their shril PIP
ings that the last war has occurred
Once more they will demand or an
nounce the invention of some patent
device by which strong and ruthless
and cunning men will be held in place
nv timid men without any prepared
ness. without any display of courage or
acceptance of endurance, risk. labor
and hardship
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Weakness Invites Danger.

"On the contrary. the only effect has
been to earn for us the contemptuous
dislike Of all the warning nations and
TO bring us 70 the verge OF trouble
with them. II we had prepared we
would have saved thousands Of lives
and we would have guaranteed our
own peace. The failure TO prepare,
the failure 10 stand up for the rights
Of ourselves and of others. the yield
ing 70 wrongdoing resulted IN both
deferring the day when 1t was posi-
BILE for this nation TO act as peace
maker. and in bringing us measuraoiy
nearer to the danger of ourselves oelng
involved in the conflict.
Weakness invites contempt. weak
ness combined with buster invites
both contempt and aggression. Sell
respecting strength that respects the
rights of others is the only quality
that secures Respect from others. IL:
in our foreign policy we are weak, II
we use lofty words at the same time
that we commit mean or unworthy &C
tons. and, above all, II we fan TO pro-
tect our own rights. we snail not Sc
cure the good will of any one. and we
shall incur the contempt OF other ma
tons; and contempt of that kind Is
easily turned into active international
violence. If we cannot protect our
selves we may be sure that no one
else will protect us. II we are not
prepared in advance. we cannot he
true to ourselves; and II we are not
true TO ourselves. we shall certainly
be false to every one else.
"T believe in international duty. !
hold that we cannot assert that we are
entirely guiltless of responsibility for
the outrages committed on well be
haved nations, particularly on Belgium
and on non-combatants, particularly
on women and children, in the present
war. Prior TO the war we had be-
come parties TO the various conven-
lions and treaties designed TO mitigate
the horrors of war. and 10 limit the
offences that can. with impunity, be
by belligerents either on
neutrals or non-combatants. When We
declined 10 take any action under these
and treaties we ourselves
treated them as scraps Of paper
such being the case, while our
guilt is not as great as that OF the
strong and ruthless nations who com
mitted the misdeeds. we nevertheless
occupy, in some. respects. an even
meaner position. For we possess
strength and yet we refuse TO make
ready this strength, and we refuse TO
use il for righteousness. We possess
strength, and vet we decline to put II
behind our plighted word when the in
terests and honor Of others are in
volved
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Decries Copperheads.

"But make no appeal TO the spirit
Of the peace-at-any-price men of '6l
and '65. ask that we in this genera
ton prove ourselves the spiritual heirs
both of the men who wore the blue and
OF the men who wore the gray. But ]
make no appeal TO the memory OF the
comprehend pacifists who put peace
above duty. who put love OF ease and
love Of money getting before devotion
70 country. and whose convictions were
too weak 10 stir 10 action their tepld
souls.
This ia one Of the great years of
decision IN our national history. The
wav in which we now decide will largely
determine whether we are to so forward
in Righteousness and power or back
ward in degradation and weakness. We
are face 10 face with elemental facts of
right and wrong. of force or feebleness.
According TO the spirit in which we
face these facts and govern our actions
we shall determine whether in the
future we shall enjoy a growing ma
tional life or suffer lingering national
decay.
First and foremost, friends. ask
YOU to beware Of the false prophets
both the prophets Of sordid material
ism and the prophets Of that silly SEN
timentalism which refuses 20 look
truths in the face If the truths are
unpleasant We cannot meet the future
either By mere gross materialism or
by mere silly sentimentalsm; above
all. we cannot meet IL II we attempt to
balance gross materislism in action by
silly sentimontslism IN words.
Pacihsts Serve Evil.
"In actual practice the professional
pacifsts do not serve good. They serve
evil. They do not serve high ideals.
II is not righteous 20 fail 20 fight on
behalf Of assailed righteousness. Such
s course probably means sheer coward
ice and certainly means moral surren-
der The men who are the torch car
riers Of world civilization are those,
and only those. who acknowledge the
supreme duty Of protecting sacred spir-
itusl things when attacked. In actual
practice the professional pacifist is
merely the tool Of the sensual mate
rialist who has no ideals. whose shriv-
ellcd soul is wholly absorbed in auto
mobiles and the movies and money
making and in the policies Of the cash
register and the stock ticker and the
life of fatted ease.
Two years ago any number OF per
sons were assuring US that the day Of
great wars had passed; that It was
Impossible that there ever should be
great wars again; that preparedness
brought on war; that We did not need
70 take any steps in our own defence;
that the capitalists of the world, be-
cause high finance had become inter
nationalized. would never permit a
great war that the opinion Of the civil
lied world was enough to stop all inter-
rational outrages.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31

earth from which profit can be de-
rived.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Declares u. S. May Be At
tackled by European
Nation After War.
DERIDES SOFT EASE
BEFORE VETERANS
Says This Nation Must Adopt
Universal Service as Only
Method of Democracy.

Kansas City. Mo, May 3o.-ln his
Memorial Day address here to-day be-
fore members Of the Grand Army Of
the Republic and Confederate Neter-
ans, Colonel Roosevelt appealed for
spirit Of Americanism, universal mill
tary service end such additions to the
army and navy as would make the
voice Of the United States respected
among nations. He said;
II come TO Kansas City. here in the
great West, to speak on Memorial Day
20 the farmers and merchants and
wage workers and manufacturers who
dwell west Of the Mississippi. What
7 have 10 say TO you is exactly what I
should saw 70 your fellows who dwell
on the Atlantic Coast. or the Pacific
Slope, or beside the Great Lakes. or on
the shores Of the Gulf OF Mexico.
"My message is a message TO all
Americans Ny appeal Is TO the spirit
Of thoroughgoing Americanism in all
our people in whatever portion Of the
land they dwell. In thanking all the
nizations-business political and
socisl-whose invitation have accept
ed. including my comrades OF the Span
ism war. / know that none of you will
object 10 my putting first the Grand
Army Of the Republic and the Confed-
crate Veterans. come here TO speak
on behalf Of the spirit which in the
carly sixties burned in the hearts Of
the men who wore the blue and of the
men who wore the gray.
an what ! have TO say ! shall appeal
with equal emphasis 20 the soul quail
ties Of the men who followed Grant
and Of the men who followed Lee: Of
an who in the great crisis proved their
truth bv their endeavor and showed
themselves willing 10 sacrifice every
thing for the right. as God gave them
20 sec the right
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31

versal service would be one Of the biz.
gcst things ever done in this eountr7
TO preserve our democratic institution,
in spirit and in fact.
"The other day when spoke on uni.
versal service in Detroit a woman in
the gallery called out. 4 have two sons.
and they shall both 60 If the country
needs them answered her: Madam.
| take of my hat 70 you. That !, n.
spirit this country needs. and IL all the
mothers Of the country will do As YOU
90 and raise their boys so tina, they
Continued on page s. column
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Nation Must Back Army.

"But the navy and the regular army
are not enough. Exactly as back OF the
navy should stand the regular army, so
hack of the regular army should stsha
the nation. ! speak TO and on benail OIL
a nation Of freemon. Freemen mt 10 De
freemen do not have TO hire otner men
10 do their fighting. | speak here on
tho invitation of the men who wore
the blue and the men VINO wore the
gray of fifty years ago; OF tne men
who fought in the two great cltizeh
armies when. North and South. the
brayest and best in the land went forth
10 battle for their deep convictions
az ask that we OF this generation pc
lcval 10 the memories OF our fatners
and be ready at need TO pay with our
own bodies for our own principles
When | ask you to prepare by seeing
that your representatives PROVIDE
first class navy and first class regular
army | am merely asking you 70 pre-
pare to have the other fellow do your
fighting for you. =.
not 70 satisfy you. You and |. friends;
cannot be loyal 10 the memory, OF
Washington, and of Grant, and OF Lee,
unless we are ft and ready to do our
own fighting in time of need. ! 90 no'
wish US. the people, TO sink into can
dition where we are so soft, so ease
loving. so fond of pleasures or so
wrapped up in money getting that We
cannot do the hard work that orav;
men must do when the need calls. l
speak for universal service based on
universal training.
Universal training and universal
service represent the only service ana
training a democracy should accept
II is the plain people, it is the farmers
the workingmen. the small business
men, the professional men. who above
all others should back up this plan.
81 have just received letter from
friend. farmer in North Carolina,
who is arranging TO have six farmers
bows from his neighborhood sent to
one OF the training camps for boys this
summer. He writes that he has been
besieged by farmers and their wives 10
send their sons 20 that camp. They
wish them 10 get the training. 10 have
the value OF the trip, and OF the asso-
citation with boys from other parts OF
the country. They realize how much
good il would do them in every way.
They realize that the kind OF training
for preparedness that their boys would
receive would help them industrially in
time of peace just as much as in war
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Asks Universal Service.

"These farmers and their wives DO
not wish war They do not wish then
sons 20 go to war if the war can legiti
mately be avoided But they feel that
II the nation does get into q fight the
wish their sons to take part in tina
fight. and IN such event they wish then
TO be able 10 take care Of themselye
and not merely be helpless victims 0
fever or Of bullets.
"The farmers and wage workers, tn
business men and professional mer
who arc not men OF large means, and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Must Aid Weak.

Performance Of international duty 70
others means that in international af-
fairs, in the commonwealth Of nations,
We shall not only refrain from wrong
ing the weak, but according TO our ca
pacity, and as opportunity offers, stand
up for the weak when the weak
are wronged by the strong. Most
emphatically it does not mean
that we shall submit 20 wrong doing