The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-30
in HIDE SCORCHER
Roosevelt Says Wilson Is De-
scendant of "Copperheads."
President Has Earned for Ma
ton Curse of MerOZ.

Oyster Bay, N. Y, Jan. 30.-Col.
Theodore Roosevelt, questioned as TO
President Wilson'S remarks on univer-
sal military service to the Maryland
preparedness delegation Thursday.
made the following statement:
President Wilson has announced
himself in favor of peace without vic
tory. and now he has declared him
self against universal service-that is,
against all efficient preparedness by
the United States.
Peace without victory is the natural
ideal of a man who is too proud to
fight. In the event of war it is the
only kind of peace open to the nation
whose governors and leaders are too
proud to fight and too foolish to pre-
pare. 1t is spurned by all men of
lofty soul. by all men fit to call them
selves fellow citizens of Washington
and Lincoln, or of the war worn fight
ers who followed Grant and Lee
The Tories of 1776 demanded peace
without victory. The copperheads of
1864 demanded peace without victory.
These men were Mr. Wilson'S spiritual
forebears, But neither Washington
nor Lincoln was among the men who
drew the sword lightly, or who, when
once it has been drawn, sheathe it
without victory. If a righteous war
is concluded by a peace without vic
of wrong over right and neutrality be-
tween right and wrong means the sup
port of wrong against right.
A Comprehend Peace"
Mr.. Wilson asks the world to ac-
cept a Copperhead peace of dishonor,
a peace without victory for the right
peace designed to let wrong triumph,
peace championed in neutral coun-
tries by the apostles of timidity and
greed. In Mexico he has accepted and
is accepting such a peace, and by his
Mexican policy he has brought diSas-
ter to Mexico and dishonor to the
United States. His policies thruout
his four years have brought woe to
humanity and shame and bitterness
of heart to all Americans proud of the
honor of their flag
President Wilson talks of the free
dom of the seas. The basic form of
freedom is to be free from murder.
Yet President Wilson has not dared to
secure even this elementary freedom
for our men, women and children on
! the seas. Let him first act in the
present to secure this elementary free
dom from Germany before, in the in
terest of Germany. he asks the aboli-
ton of naval power.
Let him remember that to work
| Tor disarmament on land by the great
| military powers of Europe and Asia
is to put this military country
at the mercy of every military mon
archy; for inasmuch as we are now
defenseless on land, our navy is our
only safeguard against invasion.
Let Wilson Remember.
when fear of the German sub
marine next moves Mr.. Wilson to de-
clare for peace without victory be-
tween the tortured Belgians and their
cruel oppressors and taskm asters
when such fear next moves him to ut
ter the shameful truth that each side
is fighting for the same things, and
to declare the neutrality between
wrong and right; let him think of the
prophecies Deborah, who when Sisera
nightly oppressed the children OF
Israel with his chariots of iron and
when the people of Meroz stood neu-
trail between the oppressed and the
oppressor, sang of them:
=" Curse We, Meroz, said the ange
| of the Lord, curse We bitterly the in
habitants thereof but they came no,
to the help of the Lord, to the helI
of the Lord against the mighty
| President Wilson has earned fol-
| this nation the curse of Meroz, for he
has not dared to stand on the side OF
the Lord against the wrong doing OF
the mighty -