The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1918-02-08
THE MOST DANGEROUS
MAN IN AMERICA

publication ought to be excluded
from the mails because of the trea-
sonable utterences TO which il gives
publicity. inveigning against Secre-
tary Baker. whom he virtually calls
liar in his recital before the Senate
Of the satisfactory condition of the
War Department, and says that had
his advice been followed we would
not now be Gin such deplorable
condition of unpreparedness. Either
the colonel forgets or regards the
American people as lot of fools,
whom he can beguile with any sort
balderdash he chooses to give them.
But there's where he makes a mis-
take The record is against him and
while he may fool some of the pco-
pie some Of the time and some of the
people all the time. he can not fool
all the people all the time.
In December 1914, six months af-
ter war started, President Wilson de-
livered a message TO congress urging
that steps be taken to extend our
merchant marine. 4 bill was intro
duceG to authorize the government
10 subscribe for stock in corpora
ton, to purchase, construct, equip.
maintain and operate merchant yes
sells in the foreign trade and for
OTHER PURPOSES. The bill was
viciously fought by the leading Re
publicans, but il passed the House
with every Republican voting against
it. In Senate. however, it was killed,
after the leading Republicans, in
Guiding Lodge, Root and Burton had
spoken against, every man of that
party voting nay In the debate it was
brought out that Admiral Dewey and
the general staff of the army had
recommended to Roosevelt, who was
then president a similar bill and
pointing out the great use that such
ships could be made of as naval aux
illiarics. The present great advocate
of preparedness declined to recon-
mend action and nothing was done.
When the Wilson bill was up for con
sideration he was asked to appear be
fore the senate committee but he de-
clned to do so and proceeded instead
to write an article for the Metropol-
itan Magazine strongly opposing the
bill
The bill was again presented to
the new congress and passed the
House, May 20. 1916, 2ll to l6l, on
ly eight Republicans voting for il
The senate also passed it after con
siderable dilatory efforts by the Re-
publicans, % to 2l, the Republicans
voting solidly against it. Thus by the
opposition of Roosevelt and his pc
ltical associates nearly two years of
ship preparedness was lost. Now this
prophet after the fact tries to make
the ignorant believe that he was the
great originator and inventor of pre-
paredness, Notwithstanding he made
no effort in that line during his near
ly eight years as president. II is a
shame that the people ever honored
such a shameless prevaricator, whose
sole object in his war on Wilson is to
try and break down the government
and get himself elected president
again. The people are rapidly getting
on to his duplcity, though, and it is
a pretty safe gamble that the only
presidency he will ever hold again
is that of the Ananias club.
Remembering how the colonel cul-
tivated relations with the Kaiser and
that he went to Germany after his
term to become personally with him
and never lost an opportunity after
wards TO sing his praises, we put lit
tie credence in his present blatant
structures Of the German rulers. He !
also cultivated acquaintance with |
Prince Henry, of Prussia, the Hais-
er's brother and seemed proud Of his |
friendship. He was the cause Of more
German professors taking positions
with American colleges than any |
other dozen men. He kept up the |
praises of the Kaiser and his rcla-
tions till the breaking out Of The war
both with his mouth and with his |
pen and even then in a magaZin Ia
ticle said that the invasion Of Bel |
gium. was a matter in which the |
United States had no treaty cbliSa
tons and was no just cause for gong |
n war with Germany. Now he shouts
IN he is red in the face that We
,ught to have declared wac on the
imperial government Immediately |
Belgium was invaded. II also will be
that when the colonel
vas in Berlin and a guest of the
Kaiser, the latter had his army or
Tered on dress parade for his especi-
II delectation and how the colonel
ilopped over its magnificence saying
hat if he had such an army he would
conquer the world. Possibly that re-
mark may have put the idea in the
|