The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1916-02-18

had no illusions about the immediate
effects Of his course. From the very
beginning he felt the pressure OF hos
tility, not only from the administration,
but from The organized forces Of pacific
ism and their allies and from the vast
body Of public opinion which they had
influenced. He told us at the time
that this was the first occasion in his
career when he was conscious of advo-
eating an unpopular cause, of running
directly counter to the sentiment of a
majority Of his countrymen.
But it never occurred to him to mod
ify his expressions. The more his ut
terances were assailed, the more vigor-
ously did he repeat and enlarge on
them. For he was persuaded that in
time he would produce the needed re-
action in the half-deadened nerve of
Americanism.
1t is a strange contrast between the
antagonism he faced then and the pub
lie opinion which supports him today,
as exemplifed in the great meeting at
the Metropolitan opera house last
Thursday night. The event was i'm
portant for far more than its size. Only
those who are aware of the character
of the audience which cheered the
speaker can understand its full signif-
canoe.
There were hundreds OF men and
women there who had never heard
Roosevelt speak before-who had never
wanted to hear him speak. Among
his most attentive and approving hear
ers were lawyers and judges and bust
ness men whose fetish is conservatism.
Here and there were to be noted
groups OF members OF the Society OF
Friends, and none gave to the speaker
more cordial Endorsement than these
sincere believers in Cancellation and
peace,to whom the very suggestion of
strife is abhouent
1t was no skill Of oratory that held
tine great gathering spellbound or lifted
it into whirlwind expressions of enthu-
siasm. Colonel Roosevelt is incapable
Of the tricks and graces of platform
eloquence, But none who heard him
could resist the surge of his dynamic
earnestpess, the rugged simplicity and
sincerity of his words, the passionate
appeal in behalf OF justice and
righteousness as ideals worthy of any
sacrifice. No loyal American, no be-
lever in the high destinies of this ma
ton and of humanity, could fail to re-
spond to such utterances as these:
A nation that can not take its own
part is at times almost as fertile a
source of mischief in the world as
nation which does wrong to others.
for its very existance puts a premium
upon such wrongdoing.
Unless we are thoro-going Ameri-
cans, unless our patriotism is part OF
the very fiber of our being, we can
neither serve God nor take our own
part.
A fabby cosmopolitanism, especially
if it expresses itself thro fabby pacific
ism, is silly and mischievous.
This country can not endure half
American and half foreign.
World peace must rest upon the
willingness of nations with courage,
cool foresight and readiness for self
sacrifice to defend the fabric Of inter-
national law.
/ Let US show in practical fashion that
we fear god, and, therefore, deal justly
with all men, and let US also show that
we can take our own part. A policy
of unpreparedness and tame submission
to insult and aggression invites the
kind of repeated insolence by foreign
nations which in the end will drive our
people into war.