New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-01
Tells st. Louis They
Suck Meat from
Lofty Phrases.
HITS HARD AT
ALL HYPHENATES
Colonel Accuses German
American Alliance OF
Moral Treason
rr-cr star Correspondent o N, TriSune.l }


St Louis. May 31.-Colonel Roose-
velt wound UP his Western tour here
to-dav-in the city called the home
Of the hyphen-with the hardest
blows he has yet struck at President
Wilson. at hyphenism and at half
wav preparedness. He was cheered
70 the echo on all three issues.
The attack on the President was
such as TO make Roosevelt stand out
once more as the one man who had
voiced the opposition to the Admin
istration's policies. In his previous
speeches he had outlined his plat
form. To-day's speeches, both
against Wilson and against hyphen-
ism were like those at the begin
ming Of a campaign, not for nomina-
ZION, but for election.
Taking up the address made by the
President yesterday, the Colonel
made the issues on which the cam
naign against Wilson must be fought
concrete and definite. He pointed
out the weasel words" by which the
President had Sucked the meat"
from utterances that sounded most
lofty. matched his phrases about the
results to small nations against his
inaction in the case of Belgium, and
refuted the statement that the acid
test of patriotism could come
through asking employers TO let their
men through letting some
one else prepare to do their fighting
for them"
Assails Voluntary Training.
when Mr.. Wilson speaks Of uni
versal voluntary training" he as
serted. "he draws q parallel TO tru-
sncy law which would make universal
attendance by children at school oblig-
atory to all except those who wanted to
keep away"
Mr.. Roosevelt sverred that he
thought we'll Of Mr.. Bryan and Mr.
Ford. 81 like them in private life" he
added. "Ihey are nice, amiable men.
But cannot join them in any wild
mental JOY rides. which is what | should
he compelled to do if should take their
IDEAS seriously"
Hits Hard at Hyphenism.
Colonel Roosevelt also hit divided
loyalty squsrely; and his attack on the
strongest Germsn-American organizs-
ton on the continent made his attitude
unmistakable. He declared that he
would be as emphstically opposed TO
any English-American alliance as he
was 10 the German-Americsn Alliance,
and pointed out that as President he
had played no favorites. Then he de-
bounced the German-American ALI
snce as "traitorous," and in his attack
on the President he declared again that
this country should have taken action
when Belgium was invaded.
Even the men of Teutonie blood
cheered and there were many such
who heard him. There was less Ap-
plause for the Colonel's statements
about Belgium than for any other Of
his remarks, but these were vigorously
spplauded. The biggest response he
got during the day was when. after
denouncing the German-American Al
lance. he remarked. as an aside: 'T
would like to remind these gentlemen
that next fall our business is 20 elect
an American President, not a viceroy
Of the Kaiser in America IL was fully
three minutes before he could resume
his speech.
Colonel Roosevelt was in the en-
emy's country here, and he wore his
hghting face all day. There was much
enthusiasm in the crowd that met him
at the station, but also a strong under
current Of antagonism. The remarks
from the crowd were not all friendly.
The faces were not all smiling. In the
papers OF the day, both morning ano
evening, were more or less direct at
papers minimized the crowds and the
cheers
Again, as in Detroit, the Colonel won
ms way against this opposition, and
there was growing friendliness
throughout the day. He was cheered
even by the "rabid" Germans when he
declared that, whatever his faults. he
was no pussyfooter, and his declara-
lions for an Americanism which
showed TO more favor TO England than
TO Germany were strongly approved.
Sharp Contrast TO Wilson.
The attitude of the Colonel was in
sharp contrast to that Of President
Wilson when the latter was here last
winter Mr.. Wilson, who had attacked
the h.phenates vigorously in his mes
sage 10 Congress, told his audience
here that he believed all hyphenism
had disappeared and that the loyalty
OF all citizens was now undivided. He
won FAR less applause for that state
ment than Roosevelt did for his
straight out attack on the hyphenism
Continued on page 9. column