Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1916-01-28
Roosevelt's Denunciation of Wilson.

Roosevelt's Denunciation of Wilson
In urging his plan for national de
tense, immediate increase of the navy
by starting construction of six formid
able battleships and fast cruisers, ar
enlargement of the standing army to
quarter million men and the adoption Of
the Swiss system of universal military
service, Colonel Roosevelt, in his letter
read before the National Security Con-
gress Thursday night, took occasion to
brand the administration policy as cow
ardly, mischievous and unpatriotic.
The Colonel dwells upon the number
of Americans that have been killed on
the high seas, in Mexico and of Ameri-
can soldiers who have been slain on our
own land. He asserts with much gusto
that more Americans have lost their
lives as an incident of the war in Eu-
rope and in struggles on this side of
the Atlantic during the past three
years, than were killed during the
Spanlsh-Amerlcan war.
All of which is spectacular and all of
which is intended to make an appeal to
the public. More than that the state
ment is a demagogic attempt to array
national prejudice against the admins
tration.
What would Theodore Roosevelt have
done had he been in the presidents
chair during this trying period? Would
he have allowed himself to become in
noculated with the war germ conta-
gion? Would he have plunged the on
~ first class power not now at war in
to the maelstrom of the worlds great
est struggle?
Is it strange that Americans, with
their wealth and their presence in all
parts of the world, should become vic
Tins of the outlawry and the reversion
to anarchy that always is an incident to
war? Is it not fact that the people
of the United States have desired to
keep out of the European struggle? Is
it not fact that mere punitive expe-
dition into Mexico would be futile? Is
it not fact that to undertake the SUBJ
iugation Of Mexico would result in
guerrilla warfare that would last for
years and entail an enormous cost in
lives and treasure with no eventual
good attained unless we annex the
country-a proposal opposed to the
spirit Of our institutions and by our ira
ditions? Is it not fact that the re-
cent outrages in Mexico have been per-
petrated, not by agents of the recog-
nized government, but by outlaw bands.
leaders Of which are now being run
down and executed?
What course, other than the one pur-
sued BY President Wilson in the Eu-
ropean controversy would Theodore
Roosevelt have pursued? Would he
have declared war against Germany for
its invasion of Belgium regardless of
the absence of treaty obligations so to
do? Did the Colonel demand war
against England when the South Afri-
can conflict was on? Instead of the
diplomatic success attained by Presi-
dent Wilson in handling the submarine
question, would MIR. Roosevelt have de-
clared war against Germany? If so of
what avail would our forces have been?
The absence of suitable army and
navy for contingencies that may arise
is not the fault of President Wilson. He
seeks to remedy the fault, but he is not
responsible for the existence of such
condition. Were Mr.. Roosevelt presi-
dent the situation would be unaltered.
AS evidence, here is the statement on
the matter that had place in the pro-
gressive platform upon which MIR.
Roosevelt ran for president in 1912:
1.-The progressive party deplores the
survival in our civilization of bar
barrie system of warfare among ma
lions, with its enormous waste of re-
sources even in time CT peace and the
consequent impoverishment of the life
of the toiling masses. We pledge the
party to use its best endeavors to ju-
dicisl and other peaceful means of set
tling international differences. We
favor an international agreement for
limitation of naval forces. Pending
such agreement, and as the best means
of preserving peace, we pledge our
selves to maintain for the present the
policy of building two battleships a
year"
This was the pledge that Theodore
Roosevelt subscribed to, if he did not
write, in the convention held the same
year that Woodrow Wilson was elected.
Conditions have changed and MIR.
Roosevelt is now in the position of a
scold. He is against what Wilson has
done but we should regret to so far
doubt his sanity as to believe he would