New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-29
Nation Is Like Biblical
Meroz, Neutral Between
Right and Wrong
DENOUNCES STAND ON
MILITARY TRAINING
Declares Tories and Cop
perheads Spiritual Fore
bears of President

OYSTER Bay, Long Island. Jan. IS.
Questioned tonight as TO the effect on
the nation Of President Wilson's re-
marks on universal military training,
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt made a
statement, in which he declared the
Chief Executive had won for the people
% the United States "the curse Of
Neroz,r the Biblical people whom the
angel Of the Lord denounced for neu-
trality between the oppressed and the
Oppressor.
his statement in part follows;
President Wilson has announced
himself IN favor Of peace without vc-
tory. and now he has declared himself
against universal training is,
against sll efficient preparedness by the
United States.
Peace without victory is the natural
ideal Of the man who is TOO proud TO
fight In the event of war it is the
only kind Of peace open 70 the nation
whose governors and leaders are too
proud 70 fight and too foolish 10 pre-
psre. II is spurned by all men ft TO
call themselves fellow citizens Of Wash
ington and Lincoln or of the war-worn
lighters who followed Grant and Lee.
The Tories Of 1916 demanded peace
without victory. The Copperheads of
1854 demanded peace without victory.
These men were Mr.. Wilson's spiritual
forebears. But neither Washington nor
Lincoln was among the men who draw
the sword lightly, or who, when once it
has been drawn, shesthe it without vic
tory. II a righteous war is ended by
peace without victory such a peace
means the triumph Of wrong over right,
and neutrality between right and wrong
means the support Of wrong against
right
Wants Peace Of DishonOr
Mr.. Wilson asks the world 20 &C
cspt a copperhead peace Of dishonor,
peace without victory for the right,
peace designed to let wrong triumph,
peace chsmpioned in neutral countries
BY the apostles Of timidity and greed.
In Mexico he has accepted and is &C
cepting such a peace, and by his Mexi-
can policy he has brought disaster TO
Mexico and dishonor TO the United
States. His policies throughout his
four years have brought woe TO hu-
manity and shame and bitterness Of
heart 70 all Americans proud of the
honor Of their flag.
president Wilson talks of the free
dom Of the seas. The basic form or
freedom is to be free from murder. Yet
President Wilson has not dared to Sc
cure even this elementary freedom for
our men. women and children on the
seas. Let him first act in the present
10 secure this elementary freedom from
Germany before, in the interest of Ger
many, he asks the abolition OF naval
rover. Inasmuch as we are now de-
fenceless on land, our navy is our only
safeguard against invasion.
Let Mr.. Wilson think of the men OF
Valley Forge, who in the last extremity
Of want and misery yet spurned peace
without victory. Let him think OF the
men of the Civil War and Of Lowers
trumpet lines:
"'COme. Peace! Not like a mourner
bowed,
for honor lost and dear ones wasted,
But proud TO meet people proud,
With ewes that tell Of triumph tasted
Fears German U-BOats
When fear of the German subma-
rine next moves Mr.. Wilson TO declare
for peace without victory between the
tortured Belgians and their cruel OPP
pressors and taskmasters; when such
fear next moves him TO utter the shame
full untruth that each side is fighting
Tor the same things, let him think OF
tho prophecies Deborah, who, when
Sisera nightly oppressed the Children
Of Israel with his chariots Of iron and
when the people Of Meroz stood neutral
between the oppressed and the OPP
pressor. sang Of them: !
Course We Meroz, said the angel OF
the Lord; curse We bitterly the inhab-
itants thereof because they came not
20 the help of the Lord, to the help OF
the Lord against the Mighty
president Wilson has earned for
this nation the curse of Meroz, for he
has not dared to stand on the side of
the Lord against the wrongdolng OF the
roi0htvn