The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-06-16

the RuSsO-Japanese war. Shrewdly
choosing the right moment to step
in, he appealed to the two bellie-
erents with a common sense and .
simple directness that friend
would use in bringing together two
quarreling neighbors. Afterward
he steered the peace conference at
Portsmouth against its will steadi-
ly toward a peace of reconciliation,
an impatient Russian declaring that
his steel wrist" hammered out a
treaty that neither of the powers
wanted at that time and that the
terrible American president-u
Strenuoso-was capable of locking
the conferees into a room and
starving them into submission"
Instead Of starting a war, the
big stick" stopped the only great
war that broke out in the period Of
its sway. Not a cloud appeared
even momentarily on our own hori-
z0n in the seven years and half
of Roosevelt's administration. And
the special trophy of his presidency
was not a military medal, but the
Nobel prize, which was awarded to
him in 1906 as the worlds foremost
peacemaker.
The one suspicion Of a stain on
the "big stick" was incurred In
Roosevelt's dealings with Colom-
bia over a right of way for az
Isthmian canal through the state
of Panama. A dictator of Colon
bia, after agreeing to cede us the
canal strip for s10,000,0oO, broke
his agreement in desire TO get
more. Roosevelt was not to be
stopped in constructing the canal
any more than Union Pacific 10
connective was stopped by the rope
which the Indians drew across the
track. After he had drafted mes
sage to congress, proposing the
taking of the necessary land re-
CARELESS of the government OF b.
gotta, the state of Panama, which
was anxious to have the canal con-
structed and was eager to gather
in the S10,G00,000 for itself, seced-
ed from Colombia under the protec-
ton of American warships
and the canal was dug.
While the Roosevelts were its
tenants, the White house was an
example and the center of the SIM
pie family life Of America
mot a second-rate palace the
president said, but the home OF 2
self-respecting American citizen
A few months after graduating at
Harvard. Roosevelt married Miss
Alice Hathaway Lee Of Boston.
whom he had met in his college
days. The bride of his youth pass
ed from life as his daughter-Mrs.
Alice Roosevelt Longworth-enIeT-
ed it. On vne same day in the same
house hss mother died. and It was
| from he shadow of this double De
reavement that ne turned to new
/ life in the far west.
| Nearly three years afterward ne
sailed from New York, directly loi-
lowing an unsuccessful campaign
for mayor to marry friend ana
neighbor Of his childhood. MISS
Edith Kermit Carow, who was So
journing in Europe. The wedding
TOOK place in London, and On Ine
register of st. Georges. Hgnove.
square, curious visitors mag reaa
the marriage lines" OF Iheoaofe
Roosevelt, ranchman-"
AS the wife of the president
Mrs. Roosevelt was called upon 70
act as hostess to larger numosr
and variety OF guests than any ON,
er mistress of the White house. ana
| so generously Is she endowed WIN
| tact that she is among the lew III
that trying position TO have escap-
ed criticism. When she took up
iher residence there with her ram
ily Of six children, she found nef,
self "cooped up in q iive-roohi ha.,
most Of the place being gwen ose 70,
to offices. In her term lle ~.
, mansion was transformed INTO =
. comfortable home. and the renou.
, eled White house, altered wilnoa'
any sacrifice OF its character .eS,
titles to the good sense ana so"S S
i taste Of both Mrs. Roosevelt any
| the president.
/: published by special arransein'
Syndicate.