The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-05-25
ROOSEVELT must
WATCH HIS STEP
BEING SON OF AN INDUSTRIOUS
! FATHER SOMETIMES EMHAR.
], RAISING TO YOUNG MAN
ALWAYS UNDER OBSERVATION
Took Another Step In Following His
Father in Public Life When He
Took the Oath az Assistant seere-
tary Of the Navy.
By EDWARD 8. CLARK.

. 2 l. q +. / 4 &
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.
u Washington. - Theodore Roosevelt
has taken the oath OF Office as assist
ant secretary Of the navy. In part.
SO far as public service is concerned.
young Roosevelt has followed in the
steps Of his father. He was meme
Der Of the. New York assembly, as his
father was, and now he Is assistant
secretary OF the navy, as his father
was.
Colonel Roosevelt perhaps is not
entirely personally comfortable. He
bears his fathers name, and he looks
like his father. and perhaps naturally
the people look to him to make good,
as his father did. This young man
probably cannot help feeling that In
sense he is under constant watch.
He is natural young man. but nev-
ertheless, probably unconsciously, he
is constantly on his guard. lest his
feet slip. It must be irksome to
know that everybody is taking such an
interest In you, not always because it
is you, but simply because you are
the son Of your father. Under such
circumstances how can a young man
with proper ambitions always. feel en-
tirely at ease?
Theodore Roosevelt is an entirely
human young man. He has all the
liking which his father had for out
door, life and for the public service.
He is willing to work and no Demo-
crat, progressive Republican. con-
servatiye Republican, or reactiOnary
Republican ever has entered denial
Of the young mans lust for the
strenuous life. So Tar, so good for
young Roosevelt, but still he must
feel, although OF course he never
would admit It, for he Is modest, that
the eye Of questioning is always upon
!. him, and that the ear Of query always
is open to his speech.
Wounded in Battle. S3s-
: In the great war Theodore Roose-
welt was wounded In battle; his
brother Archibald was wounded three
times; his brother Quentin was killed,
while his brother Kermit, although In.
battle after battle, escaped uninjured,
the only one Of the family Of four
boys who was nOtsa mark for a Ger
man bullet. In being wounded In bait
lie, young Theodore Roosevelt went
his father one better so far MS record
is concerned, although, II one chose
so to speak Of a scratch, the elder
colonel was wounded in the Spanish
war when q bullet scraped the skin
AWAY from one side OF his neck.
When Theodore Roosevelt, the elder,
was assistant secretary Of the navy.
he had unusual luck. It was one time
during the absence Of the secretary OF
The navy. It became necessary while
The secretary was absent for the as
sistant secretary to act In q high mat
fer. He acted promptly and effec-
lively. It was due to him that Dewey
had coal and ammunition enough to
90 to Manila and engage In the battle
III the bay, and 1t also was due to
Roosevelt that Dewey was where he
was In the East and ready to move
his ships against those Of the Span
iards. t3 4
Criticism and some resentment
were expressed In the Navy depart
fnent because of Roosevelt's quick and
! early action. Everybody said that he
should have communicated with Sec
rotary Long, who was somewhere over
In Massachusetts,, at the moment when
action was necessary. Criticism and
resentment passed, however, perforce
when the outcome of the battle In Ma
Mia bay was known.
May Not Get Same Chance.
It is not likely that the present as
! sistant secretary Of the navy, no mat
ter what happens, ever will be In q
position where 1t will be necessary
quickly to assume the functions OF his
chief. Secretary DENLY is a sailor,
or at any rate has been a sailor, and
therefore 1t can be taken for granted
that he will sense every situation In
advance much more accurately than
any civilian secretary might be able
to do. In the elder Roosevelt's day
the secretary Of the navy was man
i who knew nothing Of the naval service.
| Prior to the Republican convention
Of last June, Theodore Roosevelt was
a strong supporter Of Leonard Wood,
who was one Of his fathers most I'm
Innate friends and comrades. When
the convention was over young ROose-
welt promised loyal support for the
| nominee.
During the campaign Of last sum
mer young Roosevelt spoke through-
out the West and in some places in
the East In behalf Of the Harding
Coolidge cause.
| There Is not an extraordinary num-
Der Of opportunities in the Office OF
assistant secretary Of the navy for, 3
man to distinguish himself, but there
Is every opportunity for man to do
good work, although the light thereof
! may not shine forth appreciably be-
yOnd the precincts Of the Navy de-
APARTMENT. There Is Fan interest In
washington among men, sifiespectiysl
Of party. In the career Of young Rooss-
velt. It Is perfectly natural thing.
for y he not the son Of his fathsel !.
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