The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-23
CALLS
SPEECH RIDICULOUS
Declares Action Is Screen for
PitifuI Shrinking by
President.

Following are the views Of Colonel
Roosevelt on the Presidents address
before the Senate, as given out at
Oyster Bay:
$50 far a. am concerned, those
interested in my Views on these mat
tiers will find them in my address to
the Nobel Peace Prize Committee In
Norway at the end OF April, 1910, and
also II they will turn to the details
outlined in a World League to En-
force Peace OF Righteousness, in
America and the World War; the
book 1 published more than two years
ago, as well as to my recent articles.
ut is well to remember, however,
that unless the words OF our Govern
ment In this matter are to be accept
ed as the idlest and most empty Of
all idle and empty words we must
recall two or three plain bits OF home
ly fact.
Better Try Mexico.
The first is that It is worthless to
make promises about the future un-
less. in the present we keep those we
have already made. Unless this Gov
eminent is prepared at this moment
to take an emphatic position as re-
CARDS such a hideous outrage as the
deportation Of the men and women
Of northern France and Belgium, 1t
Is both ridiculous and insincere for
US to mouth about standing for
righteousness in the nebuIous future.
Moreover, unless this Government
can bring about the peace of Justice
to Mexico it had better not talk about
securing peace Of justice throughout
the world.
Freedom From Murder.
CAS- regards freedom of the seas,
the most important element in it 10
freedom from murder, and until this
Government has taken an effective
stand to prevent the murder of its
citizens by submarines ON the high
seas, II makes itself an object Of
derision by speaking for the freedom
OF the seas.
"As for the statement there can be
no real peace with victory, so far as
Belgium IL concerned, the statement
stands on a par with a similar state
ment, had there been such, after
Bunker Hill and Lexington, that there
could be no real peace IL victory
came to the forces of General Wash
ington.
Same Consideration.
"If the men Of Bunker Hill were
right, then the Belgians have been
right, and to say that the victory Of
the oppressed people struggling for
freedom Is incompatible with peace |
deserves no more consideration in |
one case than in the other.
"As for the limiting of armies, we /
will do well to remember, before we |
ask powerful nations to limit their |
that so long as we keep our
selves nearly on a level of military |
strength with China, our words will |
not carry much weight. II this ma
ton would adopt the principle of uni
versal military training and military
service, 1t would secure an army
whatever for offense. but would be
YER reflective for defense.
Greater Respect.
when we have learned to do our
iuty in such an elementary matter,
when we have learned to keep the
promises we have made on behalf OF
he weak nations. when we have
shown willingness to give proof of
courage. foresight. strength. and
to undertake services and
make sacrifices for high causes in the
present, we shall command greater
respect in the world than we do at !
his moment.
I'VE shall not command such re-
spect so long as our Government
seeks to conceal the pitiful ignominy
and pitiful Sinking of duty toward
Itself and toward others, so evident
N its conduct In recent years by max
ng grandiloquent promises which
here is nothing in its past record to
Indicate that 1t would seriously at
.empt to keep"