Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-09-30
SPEAKS At
BATTLE CREEK TODAY
Big Crowds Greet Him---He
Announces He Will Make
a Fighting Speech
By ]. P. Yoder.

Omitted Press staff correspondent
Battle Creek, Mich, Sept. Bore.
publicanism s reserve artillery was op-
ened here in behalf of Charles Z.
Hughes by Theodore Roosevelt this aft.
ernoon,
II wRs the ex-president s chief po-
litical address of the campaign. In it
he excoriated President Wilson s Eu-
ropean ana Mexican policies as avoid
ing public duty "by adroit elocution
and by the simple policy of drugging
our souls with the narcotic of meaning
less phrase mongering, Gin which"
| these fine words nave had the meaning
taken. f
Mexican Situation.
Roosevelt devoted more than third
Of his speech to decrying the stand TAX
en- by the president in the German con
troversy and in the Mexican situation.
He followed with denunciation of the
administration attitude on prepared
ness. During the last halls he went
deeply into detail in criticising the
manner in which President Wilson
averted the nationwide railroad striks
"At the outset,'' said Roosevelt, ~
wish to say word as to protests made
by so many people that we must not
criticise the president. / did 'stand by
the president for a year and half.
1t was with deep reluctance. however,
that l was forced to the conclusion that
to do SO longer was incompatible with
standing by the interests of mankind
and the honor of this nation.
81 am convinced the conscience of
this people has been scared and its
moral sense dulled by the leadership
Of the administration and congress dur
ing the last three years.
Opposes Peace at Any Price.
"Mr. Wilson IS supporters say we
should vote for him for keeping us out
of war. 1t is worth while to remember
this could not have been said in behalf
of George Washington or Abraham Lin
coin. These men spurned the tories and
copperheads with eontemptuous indigna
tion as feeble and cOwardly folk for
urging peace-at-any-p price.
Roosevelt recited in detail the various
unwarned sinkings by submarines of
liners with Americans aboard. He re-
fers to the Lusitania attack as the
''m0st colossal single instance OF the
men, women and children that has been
perpetrated by any power calling itself
civilized for over q century"
He declared the president chad full
notice as TO what was to be done' and
that he erred in not taking action that
would have stopped it.
"And after it," said Roosevelt, his
teeth flashing in the old way, and his
voice raised to high falsetto, "he only
spoke. He said something about being
too proud to fight. Imagine George
Washington saying that after the bat
tie of Lexington or Lincoln making such
a statement after Sumter was fired
on.
Wilson is Vacillating.
Roosevelt declared the president was
vacillating and reversed himself "even
when he did finally act. "He said the
administration refused to recognize Hu.
erta because "his title was based on
intrigue and assassination, but that
Colonel Benavides was recognized as
president of Peru, "although Benavides
imprisoned the president and assassinat.
ed the minister. of war and various 9TH
ers.n
The former president said recognition
of Carranza ''was the acid test in view
of the indictment of Carranza by the
president s own secretary of state, Mr..
Lansing. "He called the present Mexi.
ean-American negotiations Fhumiliat.
ing and disgraceful." He said America
has "earned the derision of mankind
by our policy of mixed bluster, hypoc
risy and unpreparedness.
Lusitania Murder.
"Mr Wilson speaks loftily on be.
half Of oppressed men and pitiful wo-
men," went on Roosevelt. 'but he ap.
pears to have forgotten the l03 murd.
cred babies under two years of age. that