The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-04-08
"wHERE MoeREeoR slTs.v

| IL
Theodore Roosevelt has Just re.
turned from a voyage through the
West Indies. The New York Sun,
which can not be suspected of par
tiality, devotes a three-column edi-
torial to his journey under the title
The Flight of Meteor"
His reception, it says, affords new
evidence of the enormous impression
that this remarkable man has made
upon his times. He sets out
as private citizen, but he can not
escape from his own fame or from
the eager interest that his career ex-
cites among all men. His Journey
takes the semblance of a triumphal
progre instantaneously his ship
drops anchor in the island port. Hon
ors, civil and military, are heaped
upon him at every opportunity. His
visit lights up the slow, dull, back
water existence of 500, 900 of scattered
people like the passage of a meteor.
He leaves blind him impressions Of
spiritual thrill and material pomp and
| splendor which will be talked of in
superlatives so long as the toddling
children of today may survive to re-
call his visit
He lands in New York and at once
be comes a leading figure in the news
Of the day. EX-presidents usually are
soon forgotten. Here is a man who
has been out of office for eight years
and yet still in the storm center of
l A m nrin
are interested in what Roosevelt says
than in the words of any other man
now living.
1t is literally true that since his re-
turn from Africa he has determined
what the American people shall think
about and talk about. Beginning with
his speeches on the new nationalism
in 1910, down through his great cam
paign for social justice in 1912, and
his work for preparedness in the last
two years, he has influenced the en-
tire mental life of this country. He
did the same thing for the seven years
of his administration. He has con-
| tinued to do it since he became a pri-
vate citizen.
The reason is evident. Roosevelt
has shown a unique combination of
idealism and practically of compre-
hension of national problems and en-
ergy in finding and urging the next
step in their solution. He is at the
same time a man of vision and a man
of affairs. There are many prophets
in the country and many fighters.
But the great prophet, who is also
a great fighter, does not appear more
than once or twice in a generation.
When he does appear he naturally be-
come sthe leader of his age.
| In the present world crisis brought
on by the war, when old standards
have been destroyed and nations have
| been forced to readjust their policies
! and modes of thought, it was newt
able that the course of the United
States should have been profoundly
affected by Roosevelt. He was the
one man before the public who COM
pretended the new problems and their
significance to this country.
| While President Wilson was still as
suring the nation that it's isolation
prevented it from having any vital
concern in the affairs of Europe, while
congress was asleep, while presiden-
| tial aspirants were lodging, and while
tn eindustrial leaders were devoting
themselves to making financial profit
out of the situation, one voice was
raised and one only, for preparedness.
By virtue of his sincerity, his infor-
nation and his understanding, he
made himself heard, and gradually
brought the government to a partial
acceptance of his program.
He still remains, however, the one
conspicuous man who has grapsed the
real meaning of preparedness as part
of one great national policy. While
others are urging this or that prepar-
edness measure in fragmentary way,
he is proposing comprehensive pro-
gram of social justice which will give
every citizen a stake in the country,
and which will make military training
contribute to national efficiency. He
has learned the lesson of Germany,
where all citizens are expected to Co
operate to do away with misery and
want, and to make a country worth
fighting for, in the eyes of even the
poorest. He has made practical ap-
plication of this lesson to the United
States.
Because he has program which the
country needs at this time, and be-
cause he is courageous enough to
urge it, not for political effect, but
because he believes it is right. Roose-
welt is the country's real leader today.
His position does not depend on the
caprice of politicians or conventions.
He has won it by continuing the value
of his services to the nation.
1t makes no difference what the po-
litical manipulators do. Where Nc
!, Gregor sits, there is tne head of the
table!
MASONIC NOTICE.