ROOSEVELT AND THE WAR

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 4 June 1917, Page 2

ROOSEVELT AND THE WAR

Some Prussianised Americans, who are sure that Prussia cannot be beaten except by copying- her methods, are making capital out of the argument- tfiat anyone who opposes their pet proposals I is "giving aid and comfort to the ene- '. my." The saddest and most curious event of the week occurred when Colond Eoosevelt, with the projected volunteer force, crossed their path and got bitten. They accused the poor colonel, who has been preaching virility for many years, and whose patriotism is as unquestioned as the sun of a summer morning, of being perilously near the point of giving aid and comfort to Germany. All that the colonel had done was to try to get to the front in a hurry, but this had the heretical flavour of volunteorism in it, and the Prussian Americans could not abide it. Their theoryis that in a democracy it is perfectly damnable for anyone to do his duty willingly. The whole principle of willingness is wrong! Willingness takes the spirit out of a country or any army, they argued. The gaol, the club, and the bayonet are much bettor! The trouble with Colonel Roosevelt was that he was too willing.

Yet the colonel has never shone in a better light, for some of his admirers, than when he kicked over the traces in which American junkers expected him to trot. Americans abhor complete submissiveness. "Billy" Sunday, the noted evangelist who is endeavouring to "urge New York of its sink of sin," is a groat admirer of Boosevelt, and, speaking in his revival tabernacle in New York the other night, Sunday said: "It Boosevelt wants to take an army to Europe, let him do it. All the prophets carried big sticks. I'd like to go with Teddy myself, if only to black his boots" The thousands in the tabernacle henrtily checked. "When delivering a speech in Chicago, Roosevelt was interrupted with the news that an amendment to the Army Rill had been passed by the Senate, permitting him to raise troops for European service. He paused in his speech, a smile overspread his face, and he esclnimed repeatedly: "Bully! Bully! "' The House, however, negatived a similar measure. i