The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-11
Hypothetical Questions and . Ques.
ton OF Fact.

1uc IOuT VueStiouS Wultu IhE SON
supposed on Saturday to Colonel
THEODORE ROOSEVELT have not met
With responsive treatment at Oyster
Bay. We asked him what he would
have done in Mexico II President, and
what he would do now; what he
would have done with regard to Ger
many. and what he would do now.
The Colonel replies that 1t Is impos-
sfble for him to answer hypothetical
questions in newspaper editorial ar.
ticles; II ne did 1t in one case. he
says. he would have to do it in hun
dreds Of cases.
While questions were mani
testify pertinent and proper. in view
u the g%eneralities he is continually
uttering with regard to what the
United States Government has been
doing and is doing In Mexico and as
to Germany. Colonel ROOSEVELT IL
well within his rights in refusing to
~ what he would have done or what
he would do under non-existent cir
substances. Upon reflection we are
inclined to commend Colonel RoosE-
Wit, rather than blame him. for his
reserve In this respect. All the more
% because THE Suns purpose in put
ding the questions was by no means
b embarrass him or TO entangle him
In difficult explanations. hut simply
b afford him m opportunity to am
plify his views of foreign policy for
the benefit Of those citizens who r
at this time seeking to arrive at a
Presidential candidates.
As to the exact character Of II for
olgn policy which Colonel ROOSEVELT
could applaud as truly American"
a "straight United States" we
clearly perceive the need of further
statements from him, more definite,
more particular. more specific than
any he has yet vouchsafed.
For example. he is denounclng DR..
WILSON'S Administration for its 'un-
manly failure to uphold American
ideals" II asked what American
ideals the Administration has failed
b uphold the COLONEL would now
point to his Trinidad interview of
March 9 and to his Oyster Bay dec
laration of April ).
From these two documents. and
from similar u%ttcrnncrS of the Colo
nel's, we merely learn that every
American citizen must he for America
first." But this j. also what Or.
WILSON says. We merely learn from
the Colonel that no citizen has ''any
right to be in the United States mt all
II he has any divided loyalty between
this country and any other" But
President WILSON has also been In
sisting on this principle with all the
force Of rhetoric mt his command.
The Colonel declares that he abhOrs
an unjust or n wanton war: DR.. WILL
oON also loses no occasion to make
known his adherence of such wars.
The Colonel "would Use every honor
able e%Xpedient to avoid ever II Just
war" President WILSON'S friends
are praising him for the employment
Of every honorable eXpedient Il keep
the country Out of what millions of
Americans would regard ms just wars.
The Colonel declares that Uncle SAM
must never wrong the weak but this
article of faith has n prominent place
In DR.. WILSON'S code. The Colonel
insists on the need of national pre-
paredness for n His remarks on
that subject seem but n paraphrase of
what DR.. WILSON has been saying of
late to Congress and the country.
II Colonel ROOSEVELT Is to diifercn-
t1ate his ideas Of American policy
from those Of the statesman whom he
attacks for unmnnly failure. II is
Indispensable, in our opinion, that he
should communicate Ia the public his
exact reasons for %denouncing n> "un-
manly" rs base" nS "hl pocriticnl,'
as "infamous" the efforts of The pres
ent Administration to avoid ever !:
Just war in Mexico or with Germany.
This can be done by nothing short of
such specifications Hs would have been
elected by u questions if Colonel
ROOSEVELT had not chosen to dismiss
them ms hypothetical.
Abandoning hypothesis. therefore
but with the same friendly purpos,
In mind, we shall try to frame one
question which will meet Colone
ROOsEvELT's valid objections to tn,
earlier series. 1t shall be u question
purely of fuct.
In an Introduction to Mr.. ARIuI'I
GLEAsoN's Forthcoming book on the in
vasiOn of Belgium and The utrocitie,
therein THEODORE ROOSEVELT write,
~ follows In specific arraignment O