The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1916-02-18
ROOT ATTACKS
WILSON POLICY
Presidents Deaf Ear to Belgium
Strongly Assai|ed.
ANTI-GERMAh SPEECH KEYNOTE

Republican Leader Addresses New
York State Convention-Says Presi-
dents Attitude Over Lusitania Was
One of Words Without Deeds-May
Be Basis for His Candidacy.
NEW YORK, N. Y.-Former Sen
ator Elihu Roots keynote" speech
as temporary chairman of the state
convention to nominate delegates-at-
large to the Republican national con-
Venti0n, pointed to President Wilson's
foreign policy as the main issue in the
forthcoming national campaign The
speech was devoted almost entirely to
an attack upon Mr.. Wilson's record in
his dealings with Mexico. and the
European belligerents.
If that section of the Republican
party of which Mr.. Root is the &C.
knowledged leader takes it's cue from
his speech, it will work at Chicago for
a straight-out anti-German platform.
"Words Without Deeds
In regard to the Lusitania case Mr..
Root accused the President of pol
icy of threatening words without
deeds"
Strikes Hard for Belgium.
Coming to his final indictment of
the administrations foreign policy,
Mr.. Root said:
''To this people the invasion OF Bel
GUM brought a shock of amaZement
and horror The people of Belgium
were peaceable, Industrious, law-abid-
ing, self-governing and free They had
no quarrel with anybody on earth.
"They were attacked by overwhelm-
ing military power; their country was
devastated by fire and sword; they
were slain by tens of thousands; their
independence was destroyed and their
liberty was subjected to the rule of an
invader for no other cause than that
they defended their admitted rights.
There was no question of fact.
There was no question of law. There
was not a plausible pretence of any
other cause The admitted rights of
Belgium stood in the way of a might
er nations purpose, and Belgium was
crushed.
Revolt Against Wrong.
when the true nature of these
events was realized, the people of the
United States did not hesitate in their
feeling or in their judgment Deepest
sympathy with downtrodden Belgium
and stern condemnation of the in
vader were practically universal
wherever there was respect for
law it revolted against the wrong done
to Belgium. Wherever there was true
passion for liberty it blazed out for
Belgium. Wherever there was human
ity it mourned for Belgium. AS the
realization of the truth spread it car
ried a vague feeling that not merely
sentiment, but loyalty to the eternal
principles of right, was involved in
the attitude of the American people,
'Yet the American government &C
guessed in the treatment of Belgium
and the destruction of the law of ma
tons Without one word of object or
dissent to the reputation Of law or
the breach of our treaty or the viola
ton of justice and humanity in the
treatment of Belgium, our government
enjOined upon the people of the
United States an undiscriminating
and all-embracing neutrality, and the
President admOnished the people that
they must be neutral in all respects
in act and word and thought and SEN
timent. We were to be not merely
neutral as to the quarrels OF Europe,
but neutral as to the treatment of Bel
GUM; neutral between right and
wrong; neutral between justice and
injustice; neutral between humanity
and cruelty. neutral between liberty
and oppression"