The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-28
AMERICA MIRACLE
Of IwHtftICIENCY
Roosevelt says This Country Tn &c
This Hour Would Prove Easier
Prey Than Belgium
PROTECTED BY OUR MILES.
Americans StIoutd Bc Shown Their
Task and should Meet II tnfinCh-
tngiY, says Roosevelt in ADDRESS to
Moose at Ptttsburg.

Pittshurg. July 26.~~T h eodore
Roosevelt. speaking here this after
noon before the big convention of the
order OF the Moose. said that America
would pay heavily for her short
sighted sPathF-and foolish, setf-suf-
hcient optimism" unless the country
Was Immediately awakened to the fact
that II faces a mighty big job.
Mr. Roosevelt said that tho United
states had done virtually nothing SO
FAR six months have eli psed since
We went 10 war with Germany and
nearly four months since we reluc-
family admitted thai We were at war"
he said. We have at his time not 4
single aeroplane At to send across the
German lines, and months must pass
before we can manufacture such an
t~aeroplane, We nave no heavy artil-
lery 10 put IN the battle line, and in
any serious engagement, gallant Per-
shlng and his gallant little force viii
have TO trust 10 French and English
guns.
Look at what Germany did to Bel
GUM in the first thirty DAYS of the
war We would now be in exactly
the position of Belgium were it not
that We " our safety-our ignoble
safety-to the British fleet and the
British and French armies.
II The simple truth Is thai. relatively
10 the otier great nations of the
wond, We rave in this war exhibited
ourselves a miracle in ineficiency;
and We shall always be inefficient
during the first vital months of any
war until We learn TO prepare in ad-
vance.
w announced that we were com
ing to the help OF the allies" said
Mr., Roosevelt. ,t'As n matter Of fact.
after six months. we owe our safety
solely to the fact that these hard
pressed and war-worn allies protect
US with our lives, with their trained
bodies and perfected machines. while
We fuss and talk and with confused
hurry endeavor to get ready to do
something"
Mr.. Roosevelt said tina this utter
un~preparedness on the part of Amer
lea should furnish the real lesson Of
(he war. The prime fact to remem-
her he said. lis our helplessness
after six months of war. The actual
been shielded by our allies a single
small German army of a couple OF
corps would have conquered us out
of hand. When ] say conquered.
mean conquered Such an army could
have been ferried across the ocean In
thirty days. In that time we could
not have assembled out OF this whole
soldiers to meet it. And we had not
even a single aeroplane or a single
battery of artillery with which "a
meet the hostile fying squadron and
artillery, We would have been as
easy prev AS Belgium and VIC would
nave been as completely conquered. 3
We have been saved" he continu-
Ef ha@ Voc a-
their own purposes, our allies, the
British and French. had to protect us.
But next time we may have no allies
Next time Britain and France may re-
main neutral. n If they so remained
neutral we would be trampled into
1.-The dust"
Universal military training was the
step urged by MIR. Roosevelt in time
tot future peace as a means of pre-
serving Americas place among the
nations tina was the future policy;
as regards the present. he remarked
that a wh~oie-hearted effort must be
made 70 win an overwhelming tri-
umPh in the war.
IF We do no do this" he continued
we must stand hunbly In the pres.
enCe Of the nations who have really
fought. For in such a case the world
viii have been saved. ahut-Ay.Ene~
land ard not by us.
No man is a good American who
does not at this time render 10 the
commonwealth the best service OF
which he is capable, whether as a
farmer. a business man or a wage
worker The government should ex-
act from each the fullest perform
ance Of duty, and in return guarantee
TO each. so far as !s possible. an ample
reward X the duty is well performed.
by all means fix prices where neces-
s&ryi but let 1t be clearly understood
Ihat II would be as great an evil to
NJ them too low as to permit them
10 rise too high. Guarantee TO every
business that does arst class work Of
any kin for the governmen an
ample profit. beyond that impose a
heayy progressive tax on excess
profts, demand that an ample wage
be given the work1ngmen. and thai
IN I he do f!rst-elass work for
the hrst-class wage.
FRIENDS m orleans preach
n -Nou-the-swerA Of the Lord and
6ldeon. In this great war for right
e~o1sness, we Americans have a ire
" ArYan4fx tAaI. 49,