The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-06-07
Says Robins Before Progress.
sive National COnven-
ton Today
WILL JOIN G. 0. p. IF
RIGHT MAN is NAMED
Preparedness the Paramount Issue of
the Campaign and Theodore Roose-
velt the Man of the Hour-Win
Stand by Announcement.


velt the Man of the Hour-Win
Stand by Announcement.
CHICAGO, June THE keynote
address of the Progressive party5s ma
ed by Raymond Robins of Chicago as
temporary chairman, asserted in Wig
0rous terms:
l. That the Progressives viii stand
by the announcement made by the ma
nonal committee last January that the
party viii join the Republicans if the
latter nominates for president q man
true to Progressive principles;
:. That the principle, however, is
greater than the party, and if need be
the Progressives will 90 on alone;
,. That Preparedness is the para
mount issue of the campaign; ana
+. That Theodore Roosevelt is the
man of the hour.
| What this country needs now Is a
man. - announced Mr.. Robins. In the
course of his speech he said: Now as
we are to meet again in national CON
vention there comes to us q more COM
mon knowledge that in 1912 we sound
ed forth a trumpet that shall never
call retreat. And we know that we
witness alike to the faint-hearted and
the slleptical and to the great army
still faithful to the cause that our
vision Is yet undimmed and that our
/ standards have not been furled.
:" We gather to determine our pro
gram to meet the practical needs for
national action in this time Of havoc
and horror in other lands. And it is
well that we should approach our task
3 with the vision of a better day. We
may well resolve that no worse day
with havoc and horror in our midst
shall he known to MS or to the coming
generations and that we shall wisely
plan to preserve in peace our great in
ihcritance.
d" \ competent program for national
preparedness must comprehend and
meet the social, economic and spiritual
needs of the people. Mere military
preparedness alone is inadequate fol
the safeguarding of the nation s life
leven IN time of war. The final issue
of the titanic struggle that. now con
vulses Europe will be decided in the
homes, workshops, fields and labora
tories of the peoples now at war. Any
program for national security in timt
: of war that does not involve social ant
- economic security in time of peace i
false to the needs of the nation s lif
and arouses suspicion as to the GOO
faith or intelligence of its advocates.
4 1--WE believe that the need and op
portunity of the time is such that per
sonal differences, partisan bitterness
/ and local prejudices should be surren
a Idered to serve the nation : highes
l good. We should not be parted b.
l mere names, however dear. nor b.
past reseatments, however justified.
= 81 But we should solemnly warn al
e those of an easy and aecommodatin
J., political virtue that we will not SUI
n render principle nor make unworth
Il compromise to gain a meaningless an
e selfish political victory. We shoul
n rather face possible defeat fighting fo
Il our cause than to seek assured victor
o through moral treason to those hig
t princiules and heroic souls that con
q bined to make us the second party o
d this nation in 1912. The 4,200
: 600 voters who followed our LEAD
II er and espoused our cause can b
f augmented to a majority perhaps MOI
y easily under united banners, but
= need be the Progressive standard wi
i go forward alone. We cannot beEev
e that Il rule or ruin faction will dom
II nate the political machinery of tn
historic party Oh Lincoln anu ludt the
# will prefer personal defeat and natiol
It al degradation to acceptance of ii
'r foremost leadership of the nation. BI
4 III this day and hour it should be mac
u plain that the choice is in our hand
r and that the Judgment of the peop
n win be upon our heads.
1T We are ready to keep full and gel
It erous faith with the declaration of OF
d. national committee in January of Il
N present year. But if our faith sha
he meet no response and we alone star
le ready to meet the demands upon Il
in patriotism of American political lea
re ership. we shall not shirk the tas
IN There are worse thing than temporal
g defeat for great principles az huns
justice and moral truth.
tn For our part We feel that in tn
t solemn hour no motive of person
" interest or party advantage viii
te tolerated to thwart the awakened 60
science aud intelligence Of the Amer
ts can people.
OF The Prngressives stand for Anne
m- ieanism and preparedness. They stal
lei for IN Amerieanism which is not qus
he ifed by differences in blood or bir
lw or creed. They stand for preparedne
ns of the body and Of the spirit. indr
d trial and social as wei as militar
ee with universal service for the
he Tense Of the nation.
nd Z. In the midst of changing con,
nd tions, unparalleled in history, we ca