The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1916-04-28
BACT TO TEDDY
Continued from page ID

The next afternoon the ambassa
dor called with formal request fron
the Kaiser that Mr.. Roosevelt cor
sent ITO arbitrate the difference be
tween Germany and Venezuela, an,
the morning papers of the following
day contained Teddys whole-hearte,
praise of His Majesty, the friend O
peace.
Some newspapers have said tina
if Teddy had been President he woul(
have settled the "Lusitania" matter
within fcrty-eight hours. 1t may bS
foolish idea, but l believe that :.
Teddy had been there the "Lusi
tania". would never have been sunk
have al, idea that when that Ger
man warning appeared in the news
-,apers, Teddy would have had Bern
scorff in and said, IF any passenger
ship is torpedoed, without warning,
and Americans are killed, you may
call here at once for your passports.
They will be ready
Maybe not; but l think so.
| miss the esprit de corps that used
to be in Washington when Teddy
was there. The fellows he appointed
would have died for him. The Con-
gressmen hated him in secret, and
denounced him in cloakrooms, but
they redeemed the party's pledges
and got thru with the public business
just tho same. There was an atmos-
phere of efficiency and achievement;
you felt it as soon as you got off the
train. Now-perhaps l imagine it
but Washington seems to me dreary
sort of place. Nobody sees the Presi-
lent; he has no friends. He draws
himself off into a closet and there
lecides the country's fate alone. And
Congress muddles about. introducing
tension bills-without plan, without
leadership, without vision.
I may be wrong. I am not ION the
inside" | merely give the impression
f a business man whose business
axes him frequently to the national
apital
/ am for Wilson in all his efforts
} stir up national defense sentiment;
ut think he is nine months late.
yhen we took Mason and Slidell off
lat English ship in the Civil War,
ngland demanded that we release
lem at once; and in the same
reath gave orders to her army and
avy to strip for action. We gave
Iem back, too.
When the "Lusitania" sank, it would
I'VE been easy to put us in shape
guard our own rights and the
gifts of the. neutrals of the world
I'D we would not have been COM
lied to fight either. But now-the
'esident's speeches seem to me
mellow pathetic. I'm at the end of
Y rope" he says in effect, 81 don't
ow what to do. | can't make Con-
ess act, and you must help me-"
l for him in his effort: l certainly
II do my little share to boost along
preparedness efforts. But he talks :
4 acts to me like a man who was =
about as deep as he could go. I'd
e to see someone in Washington
o never discovered that he had
2 limitations; who knows how to
idle men as well as pen. \
passed Teddy on Madison ave- l
} the other day. He has grown fat; =
dresses little better than he
d to-but he looked wonderfully +.
If there were a younger man in u
Republican party / would prefer
j. But-and this seems to me the =
It disheartening- don't see a De
lie other man of presidential size
he whole party, barring Hughes,
has barred himself. Perhaps err
IS the price we pay for Demo ''u.
y, for the direct primary, and ali
rest. l do not know. But this Oh
, know, that if ever we needed ocl
per-man in Washington, we shall Lu
him during the next four years.
t the feeling in Washington now ILL.,
lot of mediocre men running Frc
t in circles because they do not Juo
their masters voice.
d I've swung back to Teddy rr ns
l. 1t makes me blush with shame =
link that there is not another
erful American to whom we cali
But who is there? ~