The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-21
"The Most Seditious Man of
Consequence in
America"
FIERCE DENUNCIATION
OF THE EX-PRESIDENT
Missouri Man Declares That
Roosevelt Has Blocked
War Efforts

Washington. Jan. 2l-.Charaeterizine
former President Roosevelt as "the most
potent agent the kaiser has in America
and "the most seditious man Of eonse-
quence in America Senator Stone, ad-
dressing the Senate to-day, charged that
Republican leaders are engaged in stud
led effort to make politics out OF the war.
Their object is to take the government
over into their own hands" by electing
a Congress out of harmony with the
president. 'What would happen to the
Wilson administration if the Republican
party should have control OF the next
Congress Z" he asked.
Senator Stones address, carefully pre-
pared, the first of political significance
made in Congress since the United States
entered the war, and regarded as the
forerunner of bitter partisan strife, ex-
oriated partisanship in the war. Besides
Col Roosevelt, the Missouri senator
named Chairman Wilcox of the Repub-
lican national committee and Senator
Penrose among Republican leaders as his
witnesses" to the political plot he al
legged. Investigation by Conress of
war operations, Senator Stone declared,
have almost entirely been launched by
Republicans and adroitly exploited for
partisan purposes
Citing statements of the Republican
leaders regarding the political plans and
editorials of Col. Roosevelt which, he
said are s'villianous screeds" published
for money, Senator Stone declared:
"0n my responsibility as senator II
charge that since our entrance into the
war Roosevelt by his attacks on the
government has been menace and OBJ
struetion to the successful prosecution
of the war.
'The only possible effect Of these wide
ly published utterances of this man"
said Senator Stone. "has been, as they
were designed to be, to discredit and
bring the present government into public
disfavor and weaken its hold on popular
confidence. That seems to be the Roose-
veltian standard of patriotism"
Similar utterances made by less pow
erful citizens. Senator Stone asserted,
would subject them to prosecution for
disloyalty.
.Of all men," the Missouri senator
said, Roosevelt il most responsible for {
what he denounces. He does his work
cunningly. In the front of his propagan-
da he throws deceptive political camou-
fage / charge that Theodore Roosevelt
is the most potent agent the kaiser has
in America. ! cannot escape the belief
that this exceptional colonel, who has
played SO many games of questionable
politics, is now playing another game of
his particular brand for very great
stake"
Turning to Chairman Wilcox of the I
Republican national committee, the Mis- 9
souri, senator said before he introduced Q
his s'star witness he would cite the Y
made to the press by Mr.. Will
cox regarding the incompetence Of the
Democratic party and its effect on com /
ing congressional elections. He said a n
meeting of the Republican leaders had t
been called at st. Louis on Feb. II, to n
a winter campaign. n
"Col. Roosevelt has engaged a hall in h
st. Louis to make war speech the day v
before the committee meeting" Senator t
Stone continued. s.
sI now introduce my star witness; Il
Theodore Roosevelt himself, whom / o
characterize as the most seditious man of Il
in America. The heart of
his man is aflame with inordinate am. a.
,ition and he runs amuck His chief 81
hought is not to help the government 1t
nut always of Roosevelt. Almost every OF
lay this man speaks in bitter and con al
emptuous disparagement of the presi- in
lent and the majority members of this cl
congress. Every week for long time ri
e has been and still is publishing under 81
ontract for a money consideration al
hink of it for money-villanous screeds nj
n the Kansas City Star--attacking the .,
resident and the government. These a,
contributions are reproduced in ey
numerous important newspapers. What h,
yer may be said of the papers repro
ucing these disloyal utterances the Kan
as City Star is chiefly responsible" III
Considering everything Mr.: Stone as ;"
erted that the achievements of this
ongress and the administration signal
ed a degree of marked success without Ct
arallel in the worlds history" Undue
ublicity given present mistakes. he said,
ad advertised the nations weakness to
ne enemy.