Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-05-20
ROOSEVELT FIGHTS
NFORD PROPAGANDA
Ink. President in Address at Detroit
Tavors Universal Military Train
ing and Service,
SEES DANGER IN PEACE IDEALS

greeted Theodore Roosevelt at the
railroad station today when he ar
rived here TO be the guest OF honor
at the American Day celebration.
Before Colonel Roosevelt was
driven to the Detroit Athletic club at
the head Of an automobile parade
he made short address to the Boy
Scouts, who were lined up IN front
III the station. lie told them he be
iieyed in their organization because
IL taught them to fight Tor the truth
and mot to be mollycoddles."
After luncheon at the Detroit Ath-
letc club Colonel Roosevelt spent
nearly two hours in private before
rsrT went to a local opera house 10
deliver an address on "Amerlcanism
and Preparedness for Peace
After this Colonel Roosevelt was
10 make a short address to a mass
meeting in Grand Circus park in the
heart Of the business district. Be-
fore he returns to New York late
this afternoon he is to make an auto
mobile tour of the city. II was an
nounced that he expects TO spend a
few moments visiting Henry Ford at
the latter's automobile factory.
Mr.. Roosevelts Address.
Colonel Roosevelt, in his address,
reiterated his opposition TO all kinds
Of hyphenated Amcrlcanism,' advo-
Gated universal military service based
on universal training, and declared
that VIC must abolish pork barrel
methods in our national defense, stop
talking and get down to the actual
business OF thorough preparedness il
we arc TO make this nation as strong
! as arc its convictions in reference To
right and wrong
Colonel Roosevelt prefaced his
speech BY saying he had come here
10 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 marked
] popular strength in Nebraska and
J Pennsylvania The effect of this
showing has been Immediately visible
upon many Of the politicians within
and without congress"
People Refuse to Learn.
We, through our representatives. at
Washington said Colonel Roosevelt,
have absolutely refused in the small
est degree to prepare during these
twenty-five months OF world cata-
clysm. We have refused to learn the
smallest part OF the lesson being writ
ten on the scroll of torment in Eu-
I rope. We have fatuousy refused to
take the smallest step, either 10 do
our duty to ourselves or to do our
duty to others. 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 Hottest motives. |
doubt whether we have really de-
ceiyed ourselves and most certainly
we have not deceived others There
IS not a nation in the world which be-
lieves that our course Of conduct has
been dictated by anything save Ii
nudity, unworthy shrinking from CT
fort and responsibility, and cold and
selfish love Of money making and Of
soft case.
In any serious crisis there are al
ways men who try to carry water on
both shoulders These men try to
escape the hard necessity of choice
between two necessarily opposite al
ternatives by trying TO work up some
compromise. But there come great
crises when compromise is either i'm
possible or fatal This is one of those
crises. There is no use saying that
j. we will fit ourselves 10 defend our
\selyes a little, but not much 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 nm
der any circumstances TO hit soft"
Wilson Does Nothing.
Colonel Roosevelt declared the
Wilson administration has taken no
step for preparedness and has done
nothing efficient to sustain our ma
lional rights Because, he said. the
administration had at intervals ven
tured fcebly to speak in contradiction
OF IT'S non-actlou," the uIlra-pacifists
and their followers have refused il
amy wholehcarted support, They
object, Colonel Roosevelt added
even TO make believe preparedness;
they insist ON even more thorough
going helplessncss than that which
wc had so amply provided at Wash
ugtou"
We must make this nation as
roug as are lbs convictions IN refer
enec 70 right and wrong. N little
matters what cur ideals may be and
@hal achievements VIC may hope for.
ii these ideals and achievements can
not De reduced to action The events
ui the past and lhc events ot today
stow That national ideals amount Cd
w-~thiuR q lht nation hlk Tire power
90 maintain thcm against opposition.
Therefore NJ We aft o. win al
home against those uf 0ur fellow all.
sens who hclIerC tn lhf policy ~ un.
preparedness char M. ai national
takHtse and metiieDeBtt. we mBst
Hatr slfaHs and wet. reasoned ean.
ttiana #Hd espfess them afH
strength aud sincerity A gaasiIfFa
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tNg tfmaNe 1HA ~ t6e strength
t aAEa atr8 Nd Mt.HFpatraH#
t WsfH'HkiaN comes ltum f'f faEt
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ft
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