New-York tribune., 1919-10-27
His Americanism Lives as
Bulwark Against Radicals
Seeking Nations Ruin,
Asserts Former President
Denounces Big Strikes
Warns Nation Tt Must Resist
Efforts of Labor Bandits
to Take 1t by the Throat

NEW HAVEN. Conn, Oct. 26-The
Americanism of Theodore Roosevelt
was urged as a remedy for the sup
preston of the radicalism now menac-
ing American institutions. in an ad-
dress by William Howard Taft as
Roosevelt memorial meeting in Woolsey
hall here tonight.
The radical element in labor is seek
ing to compel a change in the govern
ment of the United States, Mr.. Taft
that this is the purpose of the steel
strike and the proposed coal strike
will lapse into the common cause with
the radicals" he said.
We must resist this attempt to take
the country by the throat and by high
waymen's methods force political and
unreasonable economic concessions"
said Mr.. Taft. eve face, during the
coming winter, the possibility of wide
spread distress and lawlessness which
Will require our whole strength to re-
lieve and suppress by the authority Of
the government"
None Greater Since Lincoln
Mr.. Taft, in the course of his speech.
paid tribute to Colonel Roosevelt as a
public servant, political reformer,
builder of the Panama Canal and leader
in the pro-Allied cause before this
country entered the war, and declared
that he was the most striking, brilliant
and interesting figure since Lincoln.
But Theodore Roosevelt is not
dead" said Mr.. Taft. "His service to
his country has not ended. The war
has left the world, after it has saved
itself from Germany. where it must
save itself from itself The reaction
Of ba
all Europe for forty years under the
burden OF war preparedness, the hor-
rlble destruction of the war, the des-
perate economic condition of the coun-
tries within the field of war. the fan
tastic dreams Of a social millennium
the relaxing Of all discipline and re-
straint, have produced condition the
world over impairing the supremacy OF
lawful authority.
This threatens every country and
already has overwhelmed some in an
archy and confusion. Unless the world
is organized again into government the
state of the Thirty Years War is to be
repeated and the misery and catas-
trophe will be greater than any which
this colossal war itself entailed.
Japan in Ferment
Japan is in ferment over the issue
of the militaristic and peace policies.
The Prussian spirit prevails in its
military party, while there is strong
and for the time being, prevailing
tendency toward popular control, civil
administration and the ambitions of
peace.
China is in state of ebullition,
divided into northern and south
ern state engaged in war against each
other, with large armies. The return
of the million or more men to India
from the war has given the national
idea to India. Asia Minor, Palestine,
Anatolia, Armenia, the Caucasus are
in upheaval. Armies, banditti, plum
derings. murder, anarchy are every
where. Little. if any, stabilizing in
itself and the old racial hatreds, "'ith
their bloody consequences, break out
wherever opportunity offers. Russia
is in a state of civil war. The Bolshe-
vistic rule is coming to an end, let US
hope.
Touch and Go in Europe
an all the European countries it is
touch and go whether the present So
cial order or revolution like that of
Russia is to succeed. If the latter, it
means the breaking down of all the
guarantees and restraints of civil and
Individual liberty which good men have
tablish. The issue with all these coun-
tries is: Can the tyrrany of the mob
and of the soviet be escaped?
"In the United States We have like
problems. Our conservative forces
here are stronger than anywhere. We
have not suffered as other countries
have from the war. We still have
deeply imbedded in the souls of our
people the traditions of our forefathers
&L,1 iy>io ~ +1it iOn.
liberty, but he would be optimistic in
deed who did not see in our present
situation symptoms of q dangerous
at is in this juncture that the liv
ing influence Of Theodore Roosevelt
and his robust and triumphant Ameri-
canism can do much for our country
and righteousness. The war has i'm
pressed the laboring group of every
country with a sense Of its power,
with the indispensable nature of its
service to the public and with the
possibility Of using this as leverage
to exact from other groups and the
whole public any demands which 1t
chooses to make.
New Union Aim Political
Grades unions we have and have
had for a time. Trades unions have
been useful in securing better terms
for labor, in protecting labor interests
by legislation. The movement Of which
I speak, however, is not for union in
trade. but it is for one big political
union which is to formulate and in
force political as we'll as economic de-
mands.
ut is proposed to put the whole