Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1920-07-08
SENATOR HARDING CLOSE
FRIEND OF ROOSEVELT

Recalling Senator Harding's eff
forts to secure official sanction for
Col. Roosevelt to lead force of vol
unteers overseas, the republican pub
licity association reminds the people
that the two were on the most
friendly terms before the latter's
death. The statement follows
at is certain that in the presiden
tial campaign much attention will be
focused on the relations between
Senator Harding and the late Col.
Roosevelt; in fact, references to the
close acquaintanceship that existed
between the ex-president and the re-
publican nominee for many years
previous to the formers death al
ready have appeared in the press.
Probably no more convincing proof
of the high esteem in which Senator
Harding was held by the colonel can
be found than in Mr.. Roosevelt's Sc
lection of the senator to introduce
and lead the fight for the amend
ment to the army bill which was de-
signed to permit the recruiting of
volunteer division of soldiers. No
citizen had more profound convic-
ton of the righteousness of our
cause in the world war than Colonel
Roosevelt, and there was no desire
nearer his heart than to be allowed
to go overseas with a fighting unit
and meet the huns face to face. He
would have subordinated everything
else to the accomplishment of that
ambition, and in selecting the cham
pion of his cause on the floor of the
senate he picked out the man whom
he considered most in sympathy with
his aspirations and most likely TO
win success for his project.
Senator Harding presented the
Roosevelt amendment and spoke eff
of his remarks he paid a eulogy to
the patriotism of Roosevelt that
should be taken to heart by every
friend of the former president. 1T
is designed, said Senator Harding, in
referring to his amendment, TO give
form to a Rooseveltian expression of
eager and ready Amerieanism and to
provide an army of Americans who
believe in his and his gospel of Am
ericanism, and afford him and them
the simplest means of proving that
American expression and American
action are in compelling accord
The amendment has in view a posi-
BILE volunteer army for immediate
and intensive training, to be recruit
ed by Col Roosevelt, a former Com
mander in Chief of the United States
Army and Navy. 1t opens the way
to provide the earliest possible arm
ed American force to participate in
the battles on the western front of
Europe. 1t provides the advance
guard of American ideals, bearing
the oriflame of new world liberty,
new world civilization and new
world humanity, and armed assur-
ance of our everlasting committal to
maintained national rights
There are but two living men
who are ex-commanders in chief of
the armed forces of the nation, con-
tinued Senator Harding. To accept
from one of them, who has already
seen actual and honored service ON
the field of battle, the tender of one
or more divisions of volunteers who
shall typify the American eagerness
to- further our cause on European
battlefields is the natural thing and
the heartening thing and the har-
monizing thing to do. 1t will be the
first manifestation of the American
spirit, the first earnest of the Ameri-
can conservation, the tangible evil
dence Of American intent. $50 I
believe it can be raised; know 1t can
be raised under Col. Roosevelt's in
spring leadership. 20 / venture
to say that 80 percent of the
thoughtful public sentiment of this
land is ready to approve the hasten
drecruiting of this volunteer army
under Col. Roosevelt. 80 There
is but one Theodore Roosevelt in the
world, and I am glad all know of
him as a citizen of the United States
of America
THAT Mr.. Roosevelt had wisely
chosen his representative in the SEN
ate is attested by the fact that the
Harding-Roosevelt amendment was
adopted by that body by a vote of
So to 81. Unfortunately an imperi-
GUS order came from the white house
to the democratic conferees to strike
the provision from the bill, and it
was thus lost"