The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1916-06-09

L
Speaking of Cuba, If Roosevelt had
desired bloodshed, he could have had
it there in streams. 1t was under
Roosevelt that we were obliged 10
begin our second occupation OF CUBAN
soil. In 1906 the Liberals revolted
against the Moderates. Our agree
ment with Cuba was that we were
to intervene for the maintenance
of a government adequate for the pro-
lection OF life. property and individuai
liberty" The "Des Moines' hap
pened into the harbor of Havana.
The president of Cuba, Palma, was
powerless and terrified. He asked TOT
marines. The "Des Moine sent
them. 1t looked as il we were about
to take Cuba by force OF arms.
Roosevelt called the marines back
to their ship. In place of marines,
he sent Taft 1t was a great con-
trast Taft. unarmed and disarming.
proceeded to Havana. and conferred.
He tried at first to set up new ma
tive government 1t could not be
done. The Cubans could not agree
among themselves. Palma resigned.
There was then no government at all.
Taft stepped into the vacuum and
completely filed it. He became Pro
visional Governor" There was no bat.
tie Roosevelt had gone into Cuba, just
as he had previously gone into Santo
Domingo-by diplomatic seepage.
The Question Of Japanese
immigration.
In October of 1906. the school au-
thorities of San Francisco excluded
all Japanese of all ages FROM the
regular public schools and directed
them to attend a special public school
tn, inb he SaPrpPafp0.
Japan protested proudly and bitterly,
both by popular demonstrations IN
Toxic and hv diplomatic representa-
lions at Washington, appealing to the
treaty of 1893.
In December, within two months
after the Issuance OF the San Fran
cisco school order, Roosevelt said to
Congress. I'm the matter now before
me. Affecting the Japanese. every
thing that is in nv power to do will
be done. and all the forces, military
and civil of the United States which
I may lawfully employ, will be so en-
ployed to enforce the rights
of aliens under treaties1
This sentence penetrated Asia to its
farthest literate regions. In the
Light of India" Bahia Bharati re-
sponded: "The American president
has proved himself to be the one ruler
of the modern world who has his
finger on the pulse of world politics
of the present and of the future"
Roosevelt had promised to use the
military forces of the United States.
He did so. He enlarged the garrison
of United States troors in San Fran
cisco and let it be known that all vio-
lence directed against Japanese
would be quenched.
He believed that japanese mass
immigration was intolerah'e. and did
not hesitate to say so. THE Japan
csc would themselves not tolerate the
intrusion into their country of a mass
of Americans who would displace
Japanese in the business of the land.
The people of California are right in
insisting that the Japanese shall not
come thither in mass"
He entered into negotiations with
the Japanese government. Again
there was no public International con.
troversy. That porcupine, the pub
lished diplomatic note. armed with a
thousand quilts and every one of them
poisoned. was allowed to hibernate
Personally, in conference, where
phrases may be unguarded and also
unregarded. the representatives of the
United States and the representatives
Of Japan agreed that thereafter no
passports would he issued to Japanese
coolies emitting them to leave Japan
for United States ports This agree
ment has been kept honora bly, and
with scientific strictness by the ac.
curate gentlemen of Japan.
The material difficulties were ad.
iusted. A psychological one arose.
Because Roosevelt was so ready to
use garrisons and law-courts to pro-
tect the Japanese in California, it be-
gan to be thought in Japan that tho
United States feared Japan. There
fore in November the United States
feet started for Japan. 1t was Roose-
velt's greatest service to peace He
got the Nobel Peace Prize for doing
thing which, by comparison, was a
parlor trick. He got it for interven-
ing between two spent duellists. He in
troduced a physically groggy Russia to
financially trembling Japan at Ports.
mouth, New Hampshire. Pacificism
gave him $4,000 and a diploma for do
ing that. The time when he was real
peacemaker and not mere. peace
usher was when he himself was a pos
sible combatant and when, instead Of
waiting for the explosion, he walked
up to the burning fuses of war in San
Francisco and Japan and snuffed them
out with his own hand.
On the harbor of Yokohama tho
japanese saw sixteen American bat
tleships, doing a globe-circumnaviga
ton which many European critics had
declared impossible. They saw; they
admired; like the men Roosevelt knew
them to be, they were thrilled to re-
spect.
Roosevelt did not avoid" var. He
saw it coming and went out to meet
it and fetched it watchful wallop
across its brow and left it dead
A Genius for Diplomacy.
The foundation of all Roosevelt's d.
plomacy was that he kept the fleet at
the ton-notch of fighting efficiency.
When he said to Won Holleben, What
l say goes; but. if it doesn't, the fleet
IL LII.