New Britain herald., 1927-02-11
ROOSEVELT HITS AT
 LEAGUE AND COURT
DeYoteS Mckinley Assn. Dinner Speech to Foreign Alliances

league of nations or world court which is an institution of the league, echoed throughout the address of Col. Theodore Roosevelt who spoke at the 23rd annual dinner of the Me- Kinley association Of Connecticut last night at the Hartford club.
 Col. Roosevelt's talk was preceded by a short address by Governor John H. Trumbull. They were presented 10 the audience by Attorney General B. W. filling of this city as president of the association and toastmaster.
 During the dinner merrlment was caused by faux pas by the orches- tra which played "The Sidewalks of New York" the campaign song Of Gov. Al Smith of New York, who counts Roosevelt among his political enemies.
 The largest delegation present was from New Britain.
 Governor TrumbuU struck out against the centralization of power in the federal government and urg- ed members of the assembly present to work with him in memorialiZng congress to repeal the present laws which are conducive to federal in- reference with state affairs. lie pointed to the present financial po- sltion of Connecticut as an indica- ton of what can be done without federal aid.
 Roosevelt Recalls S7 Pay Check
 Col. Roosevelt remarked he re- gards speaking in Connecticut as a homecoming since he was a resi- dent of this state for two years, a member of the staff of Col. Lilley. and at one time an employe in the carpet mills of Thompsonville, where he received S7 weekly. He lauded Governor Trumbull and reiterated the governors statements in oppo- sition of centralization of power. Stripping states of their power will result in a lack of interest on the part of the electorate, he warned.
 The main differences between the republican and democratic parties, he said, is that the republican party is a competent administrator. saves IIlh pGDDlt > III Diltyt anu io'oio N protective tariff, while the demo- crats do none of these, according to Roosevelt. Another objection to the democratic party Is it's policy Of weak internationalism as against the republican flat opposition to any for eign pacts to circumscribe the free dom of action of the nation, he de- clared.
 Too Many Laws
 Launching into the subject of ex- cess lawmaking, Col. Roosevelt said he was asked last week what he felt would be a good suggestion for ac- ton by the assembly of New York, and he replied: Adjourn" Contin- uing, he said:--
 Plight now. governmentally, we are confronted with certain aspects of this general concept. There has been in the land during the last 20 years a movement to regulate all phases of conduct by law. and a cousin movement which has as its aim the concentration of all powers in the federal or in the state govern ment. Both movements are wrong. 1 Both should be checked, for both take responsibility from the shoul- ders of the individual. and therefore ! tend to atrophy them. Of course. at times, 1t is necessary for the good | of all to prescribe certain actions, or | to give certain powers to a state or the nation. Laws of this sort, how ever, should not be passed lightly. 1 The burden of proof should always | rest on those who propose them. ! They must be in the nature of a last resort, rather than a first aid measure.
 "All this theory Of government must be borne in mind when view ing our foreign alliances. This has been interpreted in a thousand dif- ferent fashions by thousand diff ferent people to suit their thousand different purposes. It has been held by the internationalists to represent a pronouncement intended to guide only very young feeble nation It has been held by the extreme isola- tionists as a warning against any association whatsoever with foreign countries.
 Foreign Entanglemcnts
 "As matter of fact, it is merely a statement of our conception of in iernal government applied to our foreign relations. Ii was impossible for Washington to conceive of inde- pendence for a nation internally without carrying out the same theory Of independence externally.
 He says that we must not enter alliances-in other words. we must not forfeit our ability to act as circumstances and our con- sciences dictate when unforeseen contingencies arise We must not pledge or limit our freedom That Is what he says, no more no less. He does not say we shall cut ourselves off from other nations. He merely warns us not to bind ourselves to ac- ttons not yet determined. As we preserve for our citizens indepen- dence In their government, so must we preserve for our nation inde- pendence in it's foreign affairs.
 During the past, especially in the latter years, there has been attempt after attempt to force us to abandon /, this traditional position.
 "At first, the advocates Of this movement gathered behind the league of nations. The vcriest child could see that if we joined the league we would offend against the maxim so wisely pronounced by Washing ton. In that league, if we had joined. we would certainly by inference, and l, actually by pledge. have agreed to guarantee existing boundaries and ; the existing political integrity Of some two-score nations. spread over