The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-21
An Editorial Dictated by Theodore
Roosevelt Three Days Before
- HI. Died

(This article on The League of Ma.
tons is the last contribution that COLONEL
Star Star It was dictated ut his home in oys-
ter Bay. January .. the Friday before his
death. His secretary expected to take the
typed copy to him for correction Monday.
Instead she WINS called on the telephone
early Monday morning and told Of his
death delay of severai days naturally
ensued and the editorial has just reached
this office.
In eiew of the immense moment of the
Issues before the peace conference. The
Star had asked Colonel Roosevelt to give
his eountrympn the benefit of his discus
sion of the Possibilities Of league OF M
tiOns as a preventive of war. He consented.
although. as he wrote. he expected to fol-
low this editorial with one ION what } re-
gard as Infinitely more important. namely.
our business to prepare for our own self
defense" That article, however, was never
written.
The following. then, his final article.
represents his niatured judgment based on
protracted discussion and correspondence.
sage of man who. above every other
American of his generation, combined high
patriotism, practical sense and positive
genius for international relations-D
BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
1t is, of course. a serious misfor-
tune that our people are not getting a
clear idea of what Is happening on
tho other side. For the moment the
point as to which we are fogGy is the
league of nations. We all of us ear
wish to be sure that it Will help and
not hinder the cause of world peace
and justice. There is not young man
in this country who has fought. or an
old man who has seen those dear to
him fight, who does not wish to miniA
mize the chance of future war. But
there is not a man of sense who does
not know that in any such movement
il too much is attempted the result is
either failure or worse than failure.
terances. so far as they are reported,
and the utterances of acquiescence in
them by European statesmen. is that
they are still absolutely in the stage of
rhetoric precisely like the fourteen
points. Some of the fourteen points
will probably have to be construed as
having a mischievous significance, a
smaller number might be construed as
being harmless, and one or two even
as beneficial, but nobody knows what
Mr.. Wilson really means by them, and
so all talk of adopting them as basis
for a peace or a league is nonsense.
and, if the talker is intelligent. it is
insincere nonsense to boot. So Mr..
Wilson's recent utterances give US alb
soluteIy no clew as to whether he
really intends that at this moment we
shall admit Germany, Russia. with
which, incidentally, we are still wag-
ing war, Turkey. China and Mexico
into the league on a full equality with
fined the purposes of the league and
the limitations under which it would
act in a way that enables most of us
to say we very heartily agree in prin-
ciple with his theory and can. without
doubt, come to an agreement on spe7
cific details.
Would it not be we'll to begin with
the league which we actually have in
existence, the League of Allies. who
have fought thru this great war? Let
us at the peace table see that real jus
tice is done as among these allies, and
that. while the sternest reparation is
demanded from our foes for such hor-
rOrs as those committed in Belgium,
northern France, Armenia and the
sinking of the Lusitania, nothing
should be done in the spirit of mere
vengeance. Then let us agree to ex-
tend the privileges of the league as
rapidly as their conduct warra ntS it to
other nations, doubtless discriminating
between those who ' I'D have a guild
ing part in the league and the weak
nations who would be entitled to the
privileges of membership but who
would not be entitled to a guiding
voice in the councils. Let each nation
reserve to itself and for its own deci-
sion, and let it clearly set forth ques-
tions which are non-justiciable. Let
nothing be done that will interfere
with our preparing for our own de-
Tense by introducing a system of uni
Versal obligatory military training
modelled on the Swiss plan.
Finally make it perfectly clear that
we do not intend to take a position of
an international Meddlesome Matty.
The American people do not wish to
go. into an overseas war unless for a
very great cause and where the issue
is absolutely plain. Therefore, we do
not wish to undertake the responsible
ity of sending our gallant young men
to die in obscure fights in the Balkans
or in Central Europe, or in a war we
do not approve of. moreover, the
American people do not intend to give
up the Monroe doctrine. Let civilized
Europe and Asia introduce some kind
of police system in the weak and dis
orderly countries at their thresholds.
But let the United States treat Mexico
as our Balkan peninsula and refuse
to allow European or Asiatic powers
to interfere on this continent in any
way that implies permanent or semi
permanent possession. Every one of
/ our allies will with delight grant this
request if President Wilson chooses
| to make it. and it will be n great mis-
fortune if 1t is not made.
| 1 believe that such an effort made
moderately and sanely, but sincerely
and with utter scorn for words that
productive ofreal and lasting interna-
| tfonal good.
| Copyright, 1919 The Kansas City Starr
!
4 l.r-se L. i t.,