New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-11-28
Letters of Former Presi-
dent Show He Predicted
That u. S. and Germany
Would Clash in Future
Foresaw Spanish Conflict
Dewey's Victory at Manila
Made Possible by His Or
ders, Biographer Declares

new installment Of the biography
of Theodore Roosevelt, by Joseph Buck
lin Bishop, in the current issue Of
"Scribner's Magazine" shows that Colo
mel Roosevelt not only forced action
toward preparation for war with Spain,
in 1898, but as long ago as 1897 pre-
dicted the Russian revolution and fore
cast the conflict with Germany.
Mr. Bishop, in the course of the ar
ticle, the third compiled from public
records and data CLEANED from some OF
the 100000 letters written by Colonel
Roosevelt, deals with the former Presi-
dents work as Assistant Secretary of
the Navy. He entered that Office only
twelve months before the outbreak Of
the Spanish war, but the biographer de-
clares that until he began "an ener-
getic and systematic agitation for prep
aration not step had been taken to
get the army and navy ready for it."
Not only that but ain the face of the
persistent opposition of Secretary
Long, his superior officer" he declares,
Colonel Roosevelt made it possible for
Dewey to fight and win the battle of
Manila Bay"
Foresight Is Recalled
Referring to Colonel Roosevelt's re-
markable foresightedness, Mr.. Bishop
also produces from the letters evidence
showing that twenty years before the
RUSSIAN revolution the former Presi-
dent predicted that unless the rulers of
that country changed their policies
they would some time experience red
terror that will make the French rev.
olution pale" At the same time, in
1897, he said: Germany is the power
with which we may very possibly have
to come into hostile contact"
Mr.. Bishop also recalls an address
delivered by Mr.. Roosevelt before the
Naval War College June 2, 1897, soon
after he became Assistant Secretary Of
at that stage of his career precisely the
things about national preparedness
that he said with such courage, peril
nacity and force twenty years later
when war with Germany was upon u.s.
Senator Lodges long and unbroken
friendship for Roosevelt and the part
he took in establishing him in Wash
ington are shown in the letters which
passed between them during this
period They contain intimate per-
sonai characterizations of the big men
of the time. notably President McKin-
ley, Secretary Long, John Hay, Speaker
Reed, Senator Hale, Secretaries Day
and Gage, Admrals Dewey and Crown
inshield, Colonel Funston, General
Skafter and others.
Pacifists Even in 1898
When the battleship Maine was
blown up on February 10, 1898, in the
harbor of Havana. Roosevelt, who had
previously denounced the Spanish re
gime in Cuba, emphatically declared
himself in favor of war with Spain
Writing to Elhu Root on April, 5, 1898
he said: "You would be amazed and
mortified at he peace at-any-price tee-
grams of the most abject description
which come in multitudes from New
York, Boston and elsewhere to the
President and Senator's" Two days
later, after saying that Mckinley had
taken "a position from which he cannot
back down." Roosevelt wrote: I'VE
nave our plans in the navy, and be-
yOnd that there is absolutely nothing
The President doesn't know what mes
sage he will send in or what he will do
if we have war"
most interesting and illuminating let
ter in the collection" is one written
to Roosevelt by Senator Lodge on Sep
TENDER so. 1898, after the peace proto-
col had been signed with Spain. In
it he tells of preparing articles on
the war and of seeking from Secretary
Long the facts regarding ROOSEVELT
order to Dewey on the previous Feb
ruary %, when he cabled the admiral
at Hong Kong:
"Order the squadron, except the
Monocacy, to Hong Kong Keep full of
coal. In the event of declaration of
war with Spain your duty will be to