New-York tribune., 1918-01-31
Colonel Wildly Cheered at
Dedication of New Me-
mortal Clubhouse
Critics Are Assailed
Denies He Is Bloodthirsty-
Fight Right When You Do
Fight, He Urges
I.StntF Correspondence

CAMP MERRITT. n. j., Jan. So
Colonel Roosevelt came to Camp Mcr-
,ft today to help dedicate Merritt
Hall. tho new clubhouse for enlisted
mon here and Mrs. Wesley Mcrritt's
memorial to her husband, the famous
Civil War cavalry leader, for whom this
concentration camp is named.
The Colonel motored here from Man
haitian late in the afternoon with Major
General Shanks, in command of the
port OF Hobokcn, and delivered two ad-
dresses. The first WAS to officers and
their wives in the new clubhouse. The
Colonel was given an enthusiastic re-
ccption. But it was to 1000 enlisted
mcn. score of them literally hanging
to tine wooden rafters in the big Y. II.
G. A. hut here. that the Colonel de-
i've rcd his notable address of the af-
.cr,oon.
Colonel Wildly Cheercd
Cheer upon cheer greeted the Colonel
when he entered the Y. NJ. C. A.
building escorted by General Shanks
and Colonel Bennett. who commands
Camp Merritt. The Colonel raised his
hand for silence. It came after tirle
He t1ickcd the service button in his
lapel with its five stars.
"These," he said, "are for my four
sons and a sin-in-law who are under
the colors. That's why feel I have
Alright to talk to you. And it isn't my
fault that I'm not in the service my
SELF a soldier shouted: "Who's fault
is it," from the back of the hut. His
comrades silcnced him.
"Therc's a whole raft of things I tell
ordinary audiences" he said, chat
don't tell you. You know them. don.
have to tell you the job that's on your
lands and what you've got to put
through. You know it,
II envy you men. You have drawn
the great prize in your generation. In
the future you won't have to explain
20 your children why you didn't fight
FOR your country. You are going to.
Ycu are ready for the job. You are
going overseas 20 face hardship, suf-
fcrng and death. You are eager 20
pay the price. II you weren't. it
wouldn't be worth my while to come
down here and talk to you. wouldn't
want TO. The creature who seeks to
get through life without meeting life's
great needs is not worth living. | pity
him"
Pacifsts Flayed
{ II Here was scuffhng on the roof of
the big building. The Colonel fall
tered. He looked down at the bronzed
( men packed before him, at row on
r row Of serious upturned faces, the
= faces of men who were thinking. He
! seemed to realize that he had a rare
opportunity to. SOW the seeds of his
: fighting Americanism right into the
: the conflict.
Il used to get letters from women"
: thirsty. warlike. They didn't want to
make cannon fodden out of their sons.
ca, you men. you know that the surest
way u necesstate the use of men for
scannon fodder is to make the world
believe that you cannot face the guns.
But you boys can. You know you are
fighting the peoples war and that life
IN fre land carries with the obliga~
ton of service when you're needed
My chief complaint with the pacifist
Is that he doesn't prevent fighting.
Kick him hard enough and he'll fight.
But he's harmless when he does fight.
He has kept US so that it will take
year before we can make our full fight
ing strength felt.
Tells Men to Hit Hard
"You men arc custodians of the ma
tional honor. You know we have to
bring Germany to her knees. We are
going to get the peace we wait We
arc bound to see it through because Of
the infamies Germany has perpetrated.
I'VE had to 60 to war. We stretched
point or two before we finally did.
Remember this: Don't hit at all if YOU
can help it. But when you hit, don't
hit softly. Hit man softly and he'll
rise up and hurt you. When you do
nit, put him to sleep. That's your
Job, men"
A0c