Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-20
Colonel Gives Preparedness
Speech at Detroit and
Hits Administration
|SAYS COMPROMISE
IS IMPROPER MOVE
Makes Earnest Plea for a
More Emphatic Display
of Americanism

Of Americanism
Detroit, Mich, May 19.-Hundreds
of school children waving American
flags were among the throng which
greeted Theodore Roosevelt at the
railway station this forenoon, when he
arrived here to be the guest Of honor
at the American day celebration.
Before Col. Roosevelt was driven to
the Detroit Athletic club, at the head
short address to the boy scouts who
He told them he believed in their or
ganization because it taught them to
| fight for the truth and mot to be mol
lycoddles.' "a
After luncheon at the D. A. c., Col.
Roosevelt spent nearly two hours in
privacy before he went to local
opera house to deliver an address on
"Americanism and Preparedness For
Peace"
This afternoon Col. Roosevelt was to
make short address to mass meet
ing in Grand Circus park In the heart
of the business district. Before he re-
turns to New York late this afternoon
he is to make an automobile tour Of
the city It was announced that he
expects to spend few moments visit
ing Henry Ford at the latter's automo-
bile factory.
Refuses to Prepare.
Col. Roosevelt prefaced his speech
of the day by announcing that he had
come here to Michigan because in the
primary for the selection Of delegates
to the republican national convention,
Mr.. Ford was victorious, and following
on his victory here, he showed mark
ed popular strength In Nebraska and
Pennsylvania. The effect Of this show
ing has been Immediately visible upon
many Of the politicians within and
without congress-
I'VE, through our representatives at
Washington said Col. Roosevelt,
''have absolutely refused in the small
est degree to prepare during these
twenty-five months of world cataclysm.
We have refused to learn the smallest
part Of the lesson being written on
the scroll Of torment in Europe. We
have fatuously refused to take the
smallest step, either to do our duty
to ourselves or to do our duty to 9TH
ers. We have endeavored to deceive
ourselves by announcing that in this
policy Of supine inaction and of failure
to perform duty, we are actuated by
the loftiest motives. doubt whether
we have really deceived ourselves, and
most certainly we have not deceived
others. There is not nation in the
world which believes that our course
of conduct has been dictated by any
thing save timidity, unworthy shrink
| ing from effort and responsibility, and
cold and selfish love of money making
and of soft ease.
! Hits at Wilson.
I'm any serious crisis there are al
| ways men who try to carry water on
both shoulders. These men try to es-
| cape the hard necessity of choice be-
tween two necessarily opposite alter
natives, by trying to work up some
compromise. In actual practice, this
compromise usually proves to COM
bine with exquisite nicely all the de.
fects and none of the advantages of
/ both courses. 1t is true that in ordi-
nary political matters compromise Is
essential. It is true that in ordinary
I! times it is essential. But there come
great crises when compromise Is
either impossible or fatal. This Is
one of those crises. There is no use
in saying that we will fit ourselves
to defend ourselves little, but not
much. Such position is equivalent
to announcing that, If necessary, we
shall hit, but that we shall only hit
soft. The only right principle is to
prepare thoroughly or not at all. The
only right principle is to avoid hitting
| if it is possible to do so, but never
under any circumstances to hit soft.
To 20 to war a little, but not much. is
the one absolutely certain way to en-
sure disaster. To prepare little but
not much stands on par with city
developing a fire department which,
after a fire occurs, can put it out
little. but not much"
Colonel Roosevelt declared that the
Wilson administration has taken no
step for preparedness and has done
nothing efficient to sustain our nation
al rights" Because. he said, the ad-
ministration had at intervals "ven.,
'tured feebly to speak in contradiction
| of it's non-action," the ultra-paciflsts
and their followers have refused it any
whole hearted support. They object,
!: Colonel Roosevelt added, "even to
make believe preparedness; they in.
sist on even more thorough going help.
lessness than that which we had so
amply provided at Washington.