The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-07-14

voys of new Russia. He was warmly
applauded and up to the moment he
sat down the peace had not been dis
turbed.
But when Mayor Mitchell arose to
present Ambassador Bakhmetieff, Col
Roosevelt jumped up and determined
ly stalked toward the front of the
platform.
"Mr. Mayor, may 1 say one word?"
he asked.
"Col. Roosevelt wants to say a
word MORE" said the Mayor and the
crowd cheered. Waiting for silence,
the Colonel, speaking through his
teeth as usual when desiring to be
emphatic, said:
al am not willing that a meeting
called to commemorate the birth of
democracy in Russia shall even seem
to have expressed or to have accept
ed apologies for the brutal infamies
imposed on colored people,"
Shakes His Fist at Gompers.
At once a great shout greeted the
Colonel. The crowd roared it's ap-
proyal.
Justice, with me, is not a mere
word" went on the Colonel, bringing
up his right arm and punching the
atmosphere. "It is to be translated
into living acts. If we by explana-
tom
Here the Colonel turned about and
faced Mr.. Gompers, shaking his fist
at him in most menacing way
by explanation, silence or eva
sion apologize for numbering helpless
women and children, then how can we
praise the people of Russia? l have
heard very much the same excuse
given by the Russian autocracy for
the programs against the Jews"
The hall was in an uproar. Good
boy, Teddy" shouted a score and
there was a chorus of 'Boos" indicat-
I ing that the crowd was not all with
the Colonel.
Shall we by silence acquiesce in
this apology for men, women and
children of our own country. 1 am
democrat of the democrats, and 1
will do everything for the laboring
man except that which is wrong, and
that 1 won't do for any man or any
cause"
Again the Colonel turned and faced
Mr.. Gompers and shook his fist. Mr..
Gompers, whte-faced, started to
rise, thought better of it and sat
down. The Colonel continued to talk
directly at him.
81 don't care a snap of my fingers
for the head of the strongest organ
ization in Illinois," he went on. "This
happened in a Northern State where
the whites outnumber the blacks
twenty to one, and if the white men
there cannot protect their rights with
their votes against an insignificant
minority, and have to resort to the
murder of women and children, then
the State that gave Abraham Lincoln
to the Presidency must bow it's head
in shame"
Wildly enthusiastic shouts greeted
this. Mr.. Gompers got up. A large
crowd yelled as he cried to the
Colonel:
"You ought to investigate first,
then make your charges"
Won't Allow Him to Justify Murder.
Evidently in a passion the Colonel
staIked across to the labor leader,
who sat down. The Colonel stood
over him, shaking his fist down into
his face.
Murder is murder" he shouted,
'and I'll not allow you or any one
else to justify it."
Something else was said between
the two and the Colonel continued TO
shake his fist at Gompers. The yell
ing of the crowd made what was
said quite inaudible. Bravo Teddy!"
shouted some; Answer him." cried
others at Gompers. The Colonel
stalked back to the center of the
stage.
81 will go to any extreme which is
necessary to bring justice to the Ia
boring man and assure him his proper
place" he said. The Gompers adher-
ents in the crowd saw their chance.
'You never did! You never did,"
cried fully hundred men.
The Colonel went on:
But when there is murder I will
put it down, and l win never submit
to an apology for it; never will!
I'VE are gathering here to greet
and congratulate these men who come
to us from a nation that has gained
its freedom. On such an evening /
will never sit motionless while, direct
ly or indirectly, apology is made for
the murder of the helpless. never
Wilt"
And with that the Colonel took his
seat, perfectly white in the face.