Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-05-02
7. R. MAKES PLEA
FOR PREP AREDNESS
'Americanism Is on Trial." Says
Former President in Master
full Speech.
full Speech.
DISCUSSES "NATIONAL
DUTY AND IDEALS

Chicago, May 1.-Americansm is
on trial, with the national character
in the balance, Theodore ROOscvek
said in a preparedness appeal here
Saturday to the people living in the
territory between the Alleghenies
dent, speaking before the Illinois Bar
Association, discussed National Duty
and International Ideals" alluding to
conditions in Mexico and in Europe
and urging industrial and social as
well as military preparedness.
II ask you OF the West" he said
ito take the lead in the effort for a
robust and virile nationalism. fit and
ready to cope with all possible dan
gers at home and abroad 81 ! ask
for military preparedness as an arm
to help the soul Of the nation. | ask
for it to quicken the national con-
science, to help the national disci.
pine. l ask you to prepare
so that we may secure peace for our
selves and for others; not the peace
of cowardice nor the peace Of selfish
ness, but the peace of righteousness
and Of justice, the peace OF brave
men pledged to the service Of this
mighty democratic Republic, and
through that service pledged also to
the service of the world at large.
"Our national character is in the
balance. Americanism is on trial. II
we produce merely the self-seeking,
ease-loving, duty-shirking man, wheth-
er he be mere materialist or mere
silly sentimentalist; il we produce
only the Americanism of the CRATER
and the mollycoddle and the safety
first, get-rich-quick, peace-at-any-price
man, we will have produced an Amer
lean faithful only to the spirit of the
Tories of 1776 and the Cooperheads
Of 1861, and fit only to vanish from
the earth"
Col. Roosevelt said he did not agree
with those prophets OF gloom who
have said that the West, prosperous
and Indifferent, secure in her fancied
safety because she is in the middle
of the continent, cares nothing Of the
dangers that might befall the cities
on the Atlantic or the Pacific Coast,
cares nothing for what has befallen
the jewellers along the Mexican bound
ary,"
III did," he declared, 4 should de-
spair Of the Republic. The West is
to peculiar degree the democratic,
the intensely and Enthusiastically
American, section of our land. The
West produced for the service Of the
whole ration, Abraham Lincoln and
and Andrew Jackson, and know that
their spirit Is still the spirit Of her
sons. ! appeal to the men Of the
West to take the lead in the move.
ment for the genuine naturalization
of our people,"
Discussing industrial preparedness,
Col Roosevelt said he stood "heart-
fly for protection" by that mean
not only protection to American in
dustries and to the material interests
CT American workingmen, farmers
and business men," he explained, Il
also men, and with even greater en-
phasis, protection for the whole Amer
lean nation, protection for American
honor, protection for Americas self.
respect. protection for Americas posi-
tlon among the nations, protection for
her when she strives. as she ought to
strive to bring roace to the rest OF
the world And there can De no such
protection without thorough-going pre-
paration--n,iarv social and indus
trial."
Col. Roosevelt pointed to what he
declared to be the nations failure
to prepare since the European war
BEGAN, declaring that the House Of
Representatives "has taken what
measures It could to interfere with
the organizations on which we should
have to rely in any belated and hur-
ried efforts to meet our needs should
we have to act in support OF our note
(the first American note to Germany,
and has passed legislation excellently
designed to prevent all efficiency from
the military standpoint"
IF now there is no war; Col.
Roosevelt continued, cit will be proof
positive that II fourteen months ago
We had made it evident that we meant
what we said Germany would have
abandoned her submarine policy and
the lives OF thousands Of non-combat.
ants would have been saved, so that
their blood is at our doors because
We failed. when we sent that note,
to show that We meant what we said.
IF on the other hand war does
come, it will be cruel and dread.