New-York tribune., 1917-06-08
Defines Full Duty of Citi-
zens in Speech at
Medical Rally
Avoids Word Stacker
Declares Drafted Soldier Is
Equal in Honor to Man
Who Volunteers

The laymen and the doctors beyond
conscription age who have not yet
sought some means of putting their
best service at the disposal of the gov
eminent received an unmerciful lacing
last night at the Hippodrome, where
the American Medical Association held
its patriotic rally.
Colonel Roosevelt, the principal
speaker of the night, wasted no SYM
pathy on the men who held back, and
the 5000 persons the association man
aged to pack into the house cheered
often and loudly. The Colonel himself
did not once use the word Stacker, and
even in his denunciation there was
ever the suggestion that just now it is
not too late to mend.
II was largely an out-of-town assem-
blage, and every one present was urged
by the Colonel TO go back to his home
and act as a missionary in the service
of the nation. He made it clear that
the man who was drafted was on the
same honorable plane as the men who
had volunteered, provided he accepted
his duty and performed IT,
would Respect Conscience"
"If a mans conscience forbids him
to risk his life for the country's good"
said the Colonel, 81 certainly would
respect his conscience. | would not
give him gun. but would send him to
the front and I'd see 10 1t that he was
employed digging kitchen sinks and
trenches while the men who were there
to do the fighting were resting. Before
the work was done maybe he would
change his mind.
Rights and privileges must go hand
in hand with responsibilities. Where
there is a right and a duty to per-
form it must be performed.
"A man who does not do his full duty
by the nation in this crisis is not fit TO
be a citizen. He does well, but not
extraordinarily well. if he makes what
ever sacrifice is necessary. But if he
does not make such a sacrifice he
shows himself to be an abject creature
who should be hunted out of the So
ciety of selfrespecting freemen.
What we need to hold before our
eyes is not the incidental sacrifice, but
the high honor and privilege of being
permitted to render service. Every
young man of the right temper will
eagerly long for the chance to render
such service. and will count himself
thrice fortunate If he wins the great
prize of securing the chance TO render
IL. no matter what price he may pay in
life and limb.
Drafted Man Is Honored"
"Some well-meaning men talk as if
their duty would be fully performed if
they served when drafted. This is a
great mistake. Service under the draft
merely represents the minimum duty
that will be accepted by the state. If
il lies within your power you should
prefer to render more than the mini
mum service.
rMany good men of no special apti-
tude for other than line work will not
be able to get the chance to serve un-
fore the drafted man who does his duty
stands on full level of honor with the
man who volunteers 20 do his duty.
But the man who is no drafted does not
stand on level with his drafted broth
er unless he eagerly and persistenly
seeks the opportunity to volunteer
wherever he can do useful service"
Colonel Roosevelt said that all he
asked of the people Of this country is
that the citizens apply the same rules
10 their citizenship service as the
members Of the medical profession do
to their service.
Opposes Rights Without Service
In a quizzical, high-pitched tone, the
Colonel announced that he was still for
equal suffrage. The women in the
house fairly shouted. Some stood up
TO applaud.
"No one has a right TO suffrage in
a democracy If he or she does not stand
ready TO render service in time of
peace and in time of war" said the
Colonel.
Democracy, | hold. means primarily
the performance of duty. The woman
who performs her duty is more worthy
OF suffrage than the man who fails to
do it.
"Let the people wake up to the fact
that rights and privileges in this coun-
try must 20 hand in hand with respon-
sibility. Wherever there is a right,
there is a duty, and the duty must be
performed or the right is forfeited.
The lsboring man must give the utmost
efficiency that is in MIN. He has the
same right TO belong TO a union that a
81 n kc1 60
poration, but he must remember that
the greatest of all unions is the union
Of the United States.
"When speak 70 you doctors
speak 20 men honorably distin-
guished" he said. IL don't think for
moment that the men OF the medi-
cal profession should be Indifferent
20 their reward. for / don't like Tom
Fools. We particularly need doctors
70 represent us az the French front.
II we can't get them our young men
will be dying like sheep in the camps
where they are concentrated, and
through no fault Of theirs
DR.. Alexander Lambert, president Of
the Medical Society Of the State Of
New York, presided at the meeting.
Among the speakers was George +. Vim
cent, president Of the Rockefeller Foun-
dation. Nine. Frances Aida sang
"Rule Britannia" the "Marseillaise"
and The Star Spangled Banner" John
Philip Sousa and his band supplied the
music.
Would Hurry Medical Aid
Colonel r. II. Goodwin OF the Royal
Army Medical Corps, who came TO this
country with the British Commission,
made a strong appeal 20 the physicians
Of America 20 hasten 20 the battlefelds
Of Europe and Asia, in his address yes
terday before the American Medical As
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