The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-09-29
MOST ARE SLACKERS,
PURE AND SIMPLE
Theodore Roosevelt Scores the So-Called
Conscientious Directors, Declaring
They Are the Paid or Unpaid
Agents of Germany.

Minneapolis, Sept. 29.-The loudest so
called conscientious objectors" in this
country to-day are the paid or unpaid
agents of the German government, Theo
dore Roosevelt declared here last night
in speech before the Labor Loyalty
league. He asserted that the majority
OF these men are not actuated by con
science at all, and that the "bulk are
slackers, pure and simple, or else traitor
GUS pro-Germans."
Describing the various kinds of paci-
fists in this country, Mr.. Roosevelt said
that some of the leading apostles of ap-
piled pacifsm are not timid men, but,
on the contrary, they are brutal, violent
men, who are perfectly willing to fight.
but only for themselves and not for the
nation. These rough-neck pacifists,' he
said, "have always been the potent al
lies of the parlor or milk-and water pac-
fists. The parlor pacist, the white
handy or sissy type of pacifist, repre-
sents decadence, represents the rotting
out of the virile virtues among people
who typify the unlovely senile side of
civilization. The rough-neck pacifist, on
the contrary, is mere belated savage,
who has not been educated to the virtues
of national patriotism and of willing
ness to fight for the national flag and the
national ideal"
Mr.. Roosevelt continued "If a man
does not wish to take life, but does wish
to serve his country, let him serve on
board a mne-sweeper or in some other
position where the danger is to his own
life and not to the life of anyone else.
But if he will take no useful or efficient
part in helping in this war, in running
his share of the common risk and doing
his part of the common duty, then treat |
him as having forfeited his right to vote, |
his right to render at the polls any deci |
sion which in the long run can be made |
good in the face of brutal and hostile |
men only by the ability and willingness
of good citizens to back right with
might"
Such man, Mr.. Roosevelt insisted,
who claims citizenship but is not willing
to perform the necessary duties, is not
entitled to any of the rights OF citizen
ship, saying Service to the nation in
war stands precisely on footing with
any other service. If man will not
perform it, let him lose all the benefits
If war; and at least let him lose the h
political rights which free country can
ieep only if its free citizens are willing Il
o fight for them We stand against all {
privilege not based on the full perform [
nee of duty; and there is no more con- i
emptible form of privilege than the S
privilege of existing in SNUG, self-right- !
Gus, peaceful safety because other, ]
raver, more self-sacrificing men give up I
afety and 60 to war to preserve the ma
ion. If man is too conscientious to t
ght, then the rest of us ought to be too
to let him vote in a demo-
ratio land which can permanently exist 1
My If the average man is willing in the
lst resort to fight for it and die for it,"
Mr.. Roosevelt said that any working
ian to-day, whether he be on the farm !
: in the shop, who supports Germany,
IS not only playing the part of trait.
: to the United States, but is playing
he part of traitor to the whole spirit
democracy throughout the civilized
orld. The speaker asserted that the
ocialist party and the l. w. w. organ. u
alton in this country have been the z,
'ols OF German autocracy and the en- q
nies of liberty. D.
A plea for universal military oblga- ~
on was made by Mr.. Roosevelt, who o.
id the selective draft system is wrong, a.
because it chooses out one man to d
axe the sacrifice and do the work of q
70 or three other men who are allowed -
stay at home and make money, while M
e first man risks his life for their VI
mmon country" m
The officers training camps were also W
ltlcised by Mr. Roosevelt, because, he
I'd, they have been so conducted that ST
ly men of some means could go thither st
send their sons" He said thev have ne
ne admirable work, but this feature er
ght to be remedied so every man who ne
a respectable man and who has sons of II
right type, would feel that those ex
MS had an equal chance to become off. OF
= with any man in the land OF