The Detroit times., 1916-05-25
You've Got to COncede
That 1t Was a LOw-DOwn,
Measly Trick, So 1t Was!

NkV00Ay Nv ~ W w.
It was low-down, measly trick; that's
what it was.
There they went and got the Free
Press to join in accepting Teddy
s Roosevelt's invitation to Detroit to in
vite him here to make those speeches,
and then the committee on invitations
went out and formed itself into "Roose-
Evelt for president club, which might
rive the general public to understand
that the Free Press is part of that, too.
And the Free Press is kicking, and we
6on't blame the Free Press one bit, be-
cause we know that the Free Press would
throw out beer and whisky ads. and quit
fixing advertising copy that is against
III law for it to print before it would
!: evsr be q part of anything like "Roose-
velt for president, or anything else club.
The Free Press, we might say, is what
you'd call peeved.
Witness from the editorial page of
hat greatly wronged newspaper yester-
day morning, under the caption, "A
Prostitution of Patriotism"
n Poor taste and bad judgment have been dis
Sr1nyod BY the Detroit men who have sought TO
Snoitnlixe the remarkable enthusiasm OF Amer
teen day into a political asset for Mr.. Roose-
volt by organizing here the so-called Roosevelt
4 D6nublican league
Ihe attempt to exploit for partisan advantage
Mhst was wholly non partisan movement Is UNI
4 hfY 70 those who signed the invitation to the
0x+nrooident with the highest sentiments and
mo eubordinated their own feelings to the pub
~ rood they believed might arise out OF a
sn1uerous cooperation in behalf Of patriotism
E Il Il peculiarly unfair to the Detroit Demo
cFnfs who Joined in the Invitation. and who as
fburo6ly are not advocates Of Mr.. Rooseyelts
nooo<tUn n president
,N II u hardly less unfair to the Republicans
Vhone names were signed to the invitation and
Who had then and have now no sympathy with
TIE effort being made to name Mr.. Roosevelt as
che partys candidate
IAN The attempt Ia distinct breach OF faith with
ito thousands who crowded the city streets last
Friday to demonstrate their sentiments of
z Americanism and who had no thought that their
Femthusiasm for the flag OF their country and
their applause for one whom we all hail as a
true American would be distorted into political
# A partisan plan the founding of the Roose-
Welt Republican league here in these circunl-
stances In Of dubious expedency. for il is ques-
tionable whether the appearance OF thickness
JUV0lyoQ In IL VIII not alternate more people tnan
viii be attracted. This is perhaps matter for
Tie leagues promoters to decide for themselves.
u IN not their matter. however. that our PEG
pie should be led to believe that patriotism is a
thing for barter and trading. that the flag can
b - used for personal or partisan ends, that our
strong appeals for loftier devotion TO our coun-
4 nv are but covert endeayors to forward the In.
" ferests Of individuals. AT that point, the mat
ter becomes one for all Americans. and all
4 Americans have a right to protest against the
SPECIFICATION Of noble sentiments for individual
4 advantage.
Have the men who organized the Roosevelt
"a Republican league in Detroit considered what
"A view OF their action will be held by the aliens
among us whom We were less than week age
urging TO American ideals and who now fnt
i thea what was really wanted was votes for :
\ political candidate?
Speaking of low-down. measly tricks
Just look at the situation, will you?
The idea is this:
Patriotism is all right in its way, anC
4 - h preparedness, according to the mos
y q those who accepted the invitation from
y the Colonel to invite the Colonel here t,
speak.
But the game of patriotism, whel
there is party and particularly part
Of Old Guard leaders, to be considered
must be played with limit.
What was the object of the Free Pres
helping kick Roosevelt out of the Ba
\ City convention, first, four years age
md then out of the Chicago convention
What was it, we would like to know, an
\ the Free Press would like to know.
WASN'T it low-down measly trick
getting the Free Press patriotism a
worked up and then breaking the new
4 8ontly TO the public that the idea o
ln1erican day was just patriotic enough
\ get that nomination for Teddy" if i
q = be got7
When we were warning the publ
I UT bsing guIls, at the time, we didn'