The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-07
ROOSEVELT URGED
RUSSIAN MISSION
TO EXERT ALL FORCE
Ex-President Also Takes Occasion to Ex-
hort All Americans to Give That Sup
port Which the United States
Ought to Give to the Allies.


TO humanity; and bend your every en-
ergy to the overthrow of the German
armies. was the advice of Theodor,
Roosevelt given to Ambassador Boris A
Bakhmetieff and the other members o
the Russian war commission in an ad
dress which he delivered in Carnegie hal
last night on the occasion of New Yorl
lCity's official welcome TO the commission
The meeting was held under the auspice;
of the American Friends of New Russia
acting in conjunction with the mayor:
committee OF welcome. Mr.. Roosevelt
said:
Il am sure that I express the feelings
of my fellow countrymen when | say
that it is a matter of heartfelt rejoicing
among all the people of the United
States to greet and to welcome this
deputation from the new Russia the
great Russian democracy. As nation
we have for many years felt peculiar
sympathy with and admiration for the
mighty Slav people OF the forest ard
the steppe, for the young giant among
nations, which as yet has half developed
its tremendous strength.
"In the past ardent sympathy with
and hope for the Russian people in Amer
lea has had to struggle with shocked
disbelief in autocracy and with the whole
policy of reaction and obscurantism.
"We held as our ideal the hope that
ultimately the mighty Russian empire
might stand as here we at least try to
stand, so that Jew and Catholic and
Protestant might feel their eonsciences
as free as the conscience of the orthodox
and self governing Finland or the eau
casus or Armenia enjoy within the en-
pire the liberty that New York and Tex
as enjoy within this union.
Therefore, we hail you, men and
women of the new Russia, with heart
felt rejoicing. Now at last we can wish
all success to Russia without any mis-
giving or mental reservations. Now we
feel that the mighty Slav republic has
blazed the trail of freedom and has won
in legitimate fashion the right to stand
in the forefront OF the onward movement
of mankind. Now we have the right TO
expect that you will grant the men OF
other races and other creeds the rights to
governmental, intellectual and religious
liberty which you so justly demand for
yourselves.
I'm congratulating you and earnestly
wishing you godspeed on the path OF
national greatness, / do not under-esti-
mate the grave dangers that rise before
and beside you.
NO liberty can be permanently secure
unless it rests on a foundation of order.
No people can permanently escape con-
troll from without unless they practice
control from within, and civil strife
within a nation invites and ultimately
ensures aggression from some other ma
ton Self control is the surest safe
guard against alien control. 1t is be-
cause we Americans so deeply desire the
triumph of democracy in Rus
sia that with all our hearts we hope for
in the use of your victory.
"All of us who love Russia are thank
full beyond measure for the refusal OF
the Russian people to avenge past
wrongs by the commission OF present !
wrongs: we honor them for the stead |
fast turning away from that course et
action which would stain the hands of
liberty with blood. We most earnestly |
hope that what Russia has by daring
,erve by cool-headed wisdom, by moderes- |
.ion and by practical recognition of the
iact that liberty without order may |
prove as great curse as order without |
liberty. And, oh my friends strive to
,ecure liberty in the world at large, and
therefore, treat as traitors to Russia
md to mankind all men who do not in
list upon your exerting every particle
If your great strength to secure COM
,lete victory over Germany and her allies
md tools; and such victory can be COM
,lete only when German militarism is
Utterly shattered.
80 much for the Russians. Now for !
ourselves. There is absolutely no use in
ur expressing sympathy for Russia un-
ess we turn it into deeds. This war is
ot going to be won by rhetoric; and
peeches at public meetings are actually
unless they bear fruit in ac-
ion The Russian people will have the
ight to regard MS nation of shame un-
ess we at once put forth all our strength
o aid them.
"The first and greatest need is TO put
{ the front the largest possible army ,
( fighting men, and to keep that army ,
growing in size and efficiency ,
nti Germany is overthrown. This is of |
he first Importance, and unless we do !
his nothing else counts. Every man
tho can render service in the fighting
ne should strive TO get there.
"In addition, let every man and woman 5
'ho cannot go to the front do all that is c
ossible in other ways. Aid the Red
ross in its work for all; and give your g
Decial support to organizations like the i
merican ambulance in Russia; for the
eed of Russia in this matter is more {
liter than the need of any other of the v
reat powers. {
"Mr Ambassador, and your envoys y
ON Russia. men and women of the new v
ussia, we fervently hope for every sue f
IS for your mighty and wonderful ma
on. The thing OF first Importance is to $
in the war. Settle the large lines of
.rvice and governmental policy, pro- il
sionally, at once, but leave all that 4
IN be left until after the war; treat
'ery incitement TO civil war &C treason "
humanity; and bend your every en- v
gy at the moment to the overthrow of
e German armies" h