New-York tribune., 1919-02-10
Meu. Women and Children
Cheer as General Wood
Eulogizes the Colonel l
Tribune Cartoon Is Cited
sLong, Long Trail'' Is Sung
and Played i'll Reverence
for s'Great American
Sfaf Correspondence


KANSAS CITY, Feb. 9.-The torch of
,uer;can,sm that was Theodore Roose-
r,,t never burned more brightly than
!. a.v in this heart of the West that
,ovsd him with a wholehearted devo-
90, all it's own. The scene in Conven-
-, Hall was more than memorial. 1t
s ceremony of dedication. No one
uho saw the huge auditorium, packed
% the ceiling, tier on tier, with its 49,
oOo men. women and children could
a;s,ske the meaning of the scene.
erbst such as he may never die" was
,hs language of the prayer of invoca-
a., and it was the central thought of
the whole day.
DThe Long, Long Trail" was re-
rsated theme. The song was sung as
90 losnd by a huge chorus. The Oar
Snr cartoon gave General Leonard
Wood his chief text. "Theodore
Roosevelt is shown there pointing for
ward and upward, and that was what he
was doing all his life" Out here it
seems certain that the song will be long
associated with the Colonels name
through the picture that gave it this
new appeal.
It was q still. dignifed and solemn
audience, and General Woods voice
grew suspiciously husky at times. But
tberc was no funeral gloom. There was
spplause again and again for every
statement of the Roosevelt faith.
The citizens OF Kansas City gave nat
ursl expression at once to their grief,
TO their hearty pride as Americans and
10 their resolve that "the cause should
20 on" and they felt that in so doing
they were knowing the Colonel as he
) would have wished.
Wood Chooses Kansas City
. Dozens of cities had invited General
+ Wood to speak to-day, but he refused
them all for Kansas City. Probably his
own affection for this part of the Mid
4 die West made it easier for MIN TO de-
eide General Wood trained men at
I Camp Funston from Kansas, Missouri
4 Iowa, the Dakotas. Nebraska, Colorado
and Oklahoma, and likes the people OF
] these prairie states as much as they
1 ike him. What was more, Colonel
Roosevelt felt a friendship for this re-
gion that made him peculiarly its own
| Kansas City adopted him very much as
Kansas has adopted General Wood. The
| Coonel's amazing feat OF carrying
rock.rbbed, Democratic Missouri, was
| largely due TO this affection Of Kansas
City sor hlr .
General Woods speech to-day fitted
| into the Western idea with peculiar
sympathy. He talks without gest-
ure, usually with his hands clasped
| behind his back, with no attempt at an
oratorcal climax and without the
faintest suggestion of political or par
tlsan appeal.
Missouri Prefers "The American
He obtained the greatest applause
when he called Roosevelt "The Ameri-
can" That is the Middle West concep-
ton Of the Colonel, as the most typical
American OF any time, the most typical
since Lincoln, as General Wood said.
Force, simplicity, rugged character,
lalth in America-the Middle West
does not claim monopoly of these
qualities, but it saw them at their best
N Colonel Roosevelt's life and it holds
mem up as its ideals and is proud to
ihlnk that he loved them Tor their kim
snip with him.
No one who would understand what
NE Middle West is aiming at to-day
saeuld lose sight of this basic charac-
'ef OF ner people. Lincoln called the
aa'es between the Alleghenies and the
Aecky Mountains and north of "the
hhe along which the culture of corn
.a0 cotton meets" the great body of
Ae Keuollc." Sometimes an East
gs s;nsT lesrs al this assumption that the
Aiao1e west is the most vital part Of
ae nation. Such meeting as that
saay az Convention Hall would go far
convert him. 1t was perfect in dig
.s.' mere was depth of emotion
"a ' neid huge assemblage to the
.1u. ana through every movement,
wv.'ggn every sentence of General
'oeos address there vibrated faith
= america and in the right that every
saFncan' East or West, can thank his
1 Ssrs for.
FOR Universal Service
I me aiddle West knows it makes
sssses; perhaps it has made more
sHses than the rest Of the country.
courage 20 get ahead and expert
.sH causes It's own danger. But it
sn open mind, II thinks hard and
10y u means to do the right thing
~ VIII do the right thing. That
~ ~ tne Middle West, for instance,
i 80 mas mad the chance 20 know and
4 1eneral Wood seems solidly con-
I 80 10 the idea of universal service.
4 s.,.Houo1ediy events which shattered q
80 N Daelhsm helped But it is the
~sllest kind of talk that affects
80 u is the argument with the
m.a VI partisan flavor that best per
i So, Ihat was Colonel Roosevelt'a
"isngth here.
- = was not as. Republicans or Pro
a. sfsss r:. or al any partisans that Kan
-Hy Today dedicated itself To
4 sing On the torch.' in General
s,s,s phrase. II is that party and
al .sader who can most forget party
- sSaninely think Of the good Amer
aaE the Middle West meang to
vi. "a ,he name Of Theodore Rooge-
W.. as address General Wood said, in
$50 has deprived us of the great
ss s.1s ~ time when his services to
" a.ion are most needed. A sense
I Ksf.'"und sorrow and loss is ours.
issss.',. VINO never knew Theodore
ss,sssl' feel that great, directing
asshg force has been taken from
'ne OF the most critical periods
~ eountry's life.
sssss..s loved him and trusted him
ae "as an American and moth.
Hgz ~ IN patriotism and devotion.
sssrssssfsnip was strong, honest and
ftssiSs. ne did more than any other
ssaf 70 make the world realize
a stu United Btates stands for and
e: means. N '''"' VI govern
blstsa 'aw the war approaching and
AkS - SRt where our duty lay, De
&alsf@s opportunity IL, wzfse ayd L.. a