The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1919-02-21
Reosegelt Held T.. I.
High ! Tic: I !. Torch /!
Of >AmericaniSnl
FOUGHT WITH PEN AND VOICE
To QUICKEN CONSCIENCE
OF UNITED STATES
HE WAS ETERNALLY RIGHT
EARLIER HEED TO HIS ADVICE
WOULD HAVE SAVED BLOOD
AND TREASURE


New York.-Charles Evans Hughs,
addressing the Republican Club OF
mortal day, gave AN eloquent and
careful analysis of Colonel Roose-
velt's crowded career but pronounced
his last four and half years the most
useful and the most valuable of his
life.
Roosevelt was one of the first"
said Mr. Hughes, ''to appreciate the
significance Of the great war and our
duty. His soul revolted at the wrongs
of Belgium and he pourer out the
walls of his scorn upon the neutrality
which ignored the calls of humanity
and sacrificed the self-respect of the
American Republic.
when the Lusitania was sunk, in
May 1915, he demanded action with
Immediate decision and vigor.' Cen
euries have passed. said he, since any
war vessels of a civilized power has
shown such ruthless brutality toward
non-combatants and especially toward
women and children None of the
'old-time pirates had committed MUIR
red on so large SCALE We earn, as
a nation he cried, tmeasurless scorn
and contempt if we follow the lead
of those who exalt peace above right
eousness, if we heed the voices Of
those feeble folks who bleat to high
heaven that there is peace when there
is no peace. = -,
E%''tFor many months our govern
ment has preserved between right htaand
wrong a neutrality which would have
excited the tremulous admiration of
Pontius Pilate-the arch-typical neu-
tral of all times"
Theodore Roosevelt, to his lasting
honor be it said, was right, and had
his voice prevailed and had the coun-
try earlier shaken off it's lethargy mil
lions of lives and countless treasure
might have been spared. Better late
than never but is costly to be late.
"Of inestimable value to his coun-
try had been his service in Office, but
nova private citizen-he was to per-
form an even greater service. To a
hesitant administration, and to a peo-
pie lulled into false security and
lending ear to an unworthy pacifism,
he preached the gospel of prepared
ness. Throughout the country jour-
neyed this courageous apostle of right
thinking, having no credentials but
those of his own conscience and pa
triotism, and by his pitiless invective
he literally compelled action.
Back of all that was done was the
pressure of the demand of Roosevelt.
For eighteen MONTHS said he in the
cyclone before our eyes, we as a ma
ton has sat supine without prepar-
ing in any share or way. 1t is an ac-
tual fact that there has not been one
soldier, one rifle, one gun, one boat
added to the American Army or Navy
so far, because of anything that has
occurred in this war, and not the
slightest step has yet been taken look
: ing to the necessary preparedness.
Such, national short-sightedness, such
national folly lis almost inconceivable.
. Denounced "Make-Beiieve Prepared
.5.5$l:s -. ness"
s'He denounced the proposed pro-
Il gram as a make-believe program, as
I one entirely inadequate to our needs
It is, he said. "a proposal not to do
ething effective Immediately, but
something entirely ineffective
ssiInl pdiateIy and to trust that ou RACK
be ma tle good il succeeding
e also demanded spiritual pre-:
aness ID q deeping sense OF
Suhs He preached the gospel OF un-
diluted and unhyphe American.
D ism: The foreig born population Of
s this country. he said must beS an
A1nerieanized populat ation. No other
kind can fight the battles Of America
= (Es arg' 100
eitheF in war or peace. It must talk
the language Of its native.born fellow
Scitizens,it it must possess American citi-
q zenship5 and American ideals. There
IS no such thing as. 4 hyphenated
/ American who IS 8 good American
& The only man who is;4an good AMER:
X dcan. ia the man who IL an American
and nothing else ' ne said am
straight. United Stu ates
And when finally he could stand
no longer the bruta arsaullts of5s {; tssss q.