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Show ROOSEVELT ATTACKS THE MAN OF PEACE. Theodore Roosevelt has an article In Metropolitan Magazine for August, entitled, "Peace Insurance by Preparedness Pre-paredness Against War," In which he openly states that the great majority of peace enthusiasts in the United States are afraid of trouble, and, in particular, they are afraid of Germany. Ger-many. Those of them who are poli-ticans poli-ticans are afraid of the German vote, but in addition they are terrorized, they are cowed by the ruthless spirit of German militarism. He quotes from tho Berlin Lokal Anzieger on tho sinking of the Lusitanla, as follows: "We do not -wish to gain the love of the Americans, but we desire to be respected by them. The loss of the Lusitanla will earn that respect for us more than a hundred battles won on land." Commenting on tho foregoing, Roosevelt Indulges in his sharpest phrases and we reproduce part of his articlo without desiring to be understood under-stood as endorsing all that ho says, for Roosevelt is Interesting, If not always right. We quoto from his article as follows: "Of course, when the Lokal Anzcig-er Anzcig-er spoke of Inspiring 'respect' in America, what it really meant was that it would inspire fear. The murder mur-der of women and children does not Inspire respect, but, unfortunately, it may inspire fear. As a matter of fact I think it did inspire fear among our pacifists. There arc plenty of Americans like myself who immensely admire tho efficiency of the Germans in industry and In war, the efficiency with which in this war they have subordinated sub-ordinated the whole social and industrial indus-trial activity of the state to tho successful suc-cessful prosecution of the war, and who greatly admire the German people, peo-ple, regard the German strain as one of the best and strongest strains in our composite American blood; but who feel that the German government, govern-ment, tho German governing class has In this war shown such ruthless and domineering disregard for the rights of others as to demand protest, and if necessary further action, on our part. Unfortunately, this ruthless and brutal bru-tal efficiency has, as regards many men of the pacifist typo, achieved precisely pre-cisely the DurixiKQ it was intenrifiri in achieve. As part of her program, Germany has counted on the effect of terrorism upon all men of soft nature. na-ture. The sinking of the Lusltania was Intended primarily as terrorism; Just as the use of poison gas in the trenches ( a use defensible ouly if one also defends tho poisoning of wells and the torture of prisoners) was Intended as terrorism. The ob-pect ob-pect terrorlzation has not been achieved aa regards the fighting men of England France, Belgium, Russia, Italy and Servla. But it has had a distinctive force in cowing timid persons everywhere. I do not believe It would have any effect In cowing the bulk of our people if our people could be waked up to what has happened; hap-pened; but I have no question that it has had a very great effect in cowing that noisy section of our people which has talked loudest about peace at any price. The people who say of the present administration that at any rate it has kept ub out of trouble with Mexico or Germany; the people who say that we ought not to act about the Lusltania; the people who say we ought not to have acted on behalf of Belgium, include in their ranks very many of the persons who are cowed by Germany, who are afraid of what Germany would do if we stood up for our rights or for the rights of other and weaker peoples. Recently, in certain cer-tain circles, some popularily has been achieved by a song entitled 'I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier' a song which ought always to be sung with a companion piece entitled I Didn't Raise My Girl to Be a Mother.' The two "would stand on precisely the same moral level. This hymn, in condemnation condem-nation of courage, has been sung in music halls, and even in schools, with applause. Think of such a song being sung by or of the mothers, sisters and wives of the men who fought under un-der Washington In the revolution, or of tho men who fought under Grant and Loo in the civil war- Thoso who applaud such a song are wholly out of place at any patroltic celebration on Decoration day or the Fourth ol July; and most assuredly men of this abject type will bo easily affected bj terrorism. Tho sinking of the Lusl tania, the destruction of Louvain, the shootings of the Belgian who ratlico to tho defense of their flag precisely as tho men of Lexington and Bunkci Hill once rallied to tho defense ol theirs, the merclloss thoroughness ol tho exploitation of the civilian popu latlon of Northern France and Bel glum, the utter ruthlessness shown ir dealing not only' with men but witt women and children all this has un doubtedly cowed and terrorized th average American pacifist, the aver age peace-at-any-price man In th( United States. It has cowed the type of man who cheers such a song as 'I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Sol dier.' It haB terrorized the typo 01 man who makes speeches and writes editorials or newspaper or magazine articles on behalf of disarmament, 01 behalf of universal arbitration, anc against tho Monroe Doctrine. Then is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in na tions as in individuals; and sheer ter rorlsm is often found working hand in-hand with flabby and timid Inter national pacificism for the undoing ol righteousness and for the deificatloi: of the most brutal form of successful militarism." nn |