El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-31
SAYS j. s. MUST
KEEP PROMISES
Colonel Roosevelt Discusses
League for World Peace
and National Defence.

New York. Jan 31.-CoL Theodore
Roosevelt. addressing the Brooklyn In
stitute of Arts and Sciences il Brook
lyn Sunday night declared the United
states must not rashly make promises
or threats. but must be fully prepared
to fulfill those which it does make Dis
cussing promise and performance i'm
international relations Col Roosevelt
said:
an private life. no human being thinks it
TO the credit Of any man that he makes q
promise unless the promise is kept But
when we deal with nations instead OF indi-
viduale q large number Of reasonably well
disposed people loudly take the view that
the promise is itself meritoriOus and that
the keeping of &c is something wholly irrele-
want treaty is merely a promise II it
is evident when made that 1t cannot or
ought not to be kept. then those making the
treaty are self evidently either wicked or
foolish II il can be kept. but nevertheless
is not kept those who fail TO keep it are
guilty of dishonorable conduct
Cites Case Of Belgium.
Col Roosevelt mentioned The Hague con.
ventions in their relation to the violation
Of the neutrality Of Belgium" asserting it
was "dshonorahle conduct on the part or
the United States. to take no action
"A year ago this government notified
Germany that it would hold her to a strict
accountabi1ity. il she sank passenger ships
and murdered women and children. Again
and again. in contemptuous defiance Of this
warning. Germany has sunk these ships and
killed nonCOmbatants until the number
mounts IN into the thousands Whether the
acts were done by German submarines or by
Austrian submarines or, as is now claimed.
by Turkish submarines. or. as may possibly
be claimed in the future, by Bulgarian sub
marines represents merely the coutemptuous
desire of Germany-the directing and die
tating mind Of the central powers-to give
this government a chance to crawl out OF
making good its fine words
German Campaign in T. s
at the same time. the German ana aus
trian governments. through their accredited
representatives, in the embassies here have
carried on campaign Of the bomb and the
torch. against our industries
"The action our government should
have taken in view Of this campaign. was
not merely action against Dumba, Won Papen
and Boy-Ed but the holding Of the German
and Austrian governments themselves re-
sponsible for every muniton plant that was
Many Fear Communication Vote.
unfortunately it is evident that many Of
our public men are afraid Of Germany, afraid
Of the professional German American vote.
and are willing 10 sacrifice the honor OF
this country % their fears.
I believe that the great mass Of Ameri-
cans Of German descent are straight out
Americans and nothing else In the civil
war, larger proportion OF men Of recent
German origin than Of the men OF Old ma
tive American stock stood for the union and
for freedom. I ask Americans Of German
descent to stand against England when it Is
wrong. I ask that an alike stand as Ameri'
cans and nothing else"
FavOrs World League for Peace.
Col. Roosevelt said he approved OF pro-
posals to establish a world league FOR the en-
forcement OF peace hut only on condition
first that we shall show that we keep our
promises and second that we shall show
that we are both able and ready 10 mako
our promises effective by our action"
cas- for engaging in alliances" he said.
1T must be remembered that the league for
world peace would mean that we would en-
ter into an alliance on the largest possible
scale. Nor let us even talk about doing such
"a thing unless we face what il means"
Favors an Ample Army.
Col Roosevelt said we should have n
mobile army Of 10000 and total regular
army Of about a quarter Of q million men.
II we mean TO prepare he said Eve
should prepare in goou earnest Il stand fof
ample preparedness. in order 10 avert war
and I'm order to avert disgrace and disaster
il war should come. 7 ask moreover, that
this nation in the great crisis Of the world
war refuse to be tricked or hullied by foes
without or by politicians within.
i ask that we stand for property rights
but tb=t put human rights ahead n
properly lights and finally, that we show
that we have il I'm US to dare to risk some
thing and to suffer some discomfort md
some loss. and If necessary some danger on
behalf of "a lofty ideal II Is by no means
necessary that a great nation should al
ways stand on the heroic level. but no ma
tion can be called really great. unless II can
sometimes rise TO an heroic need"