Roosevelt Day

ARMY & NAVY

When jingoist Arthur Brisbane was screaming "WAR SURE!" in the biggest type which Mr. Hearst's New York Journal could produce, there was a spunky young Assistant Secretary of the Navy at Washington who demanded that the U. S. fleet put on its fighting clothes. Then the Maine exploded like a bad dream; war came. The fleet was ready for Santiago and Manila; the Assistant Secretary became a Rough Rider. After that he became innumerable things-- among them, President of the U. S.

Four years ago wise men searched for a fitting anniversary to be called Navy Day. They thought of that spunky Assistant Secretary of the Navy, that President who sent a proud fleet roaring around the world; so they made his birthday Navy Day. Theodore Roosevelt was born on Oct. 27, 1858.

Last week it was the man, not the day, that William Allen White, editor, author, sage of Emporia Kan., celebrated before undergraduates of the College of Emporia. Said he:

"If Theodore Roosevelt could be let down from the battlements of Heaven in a parachute and began without warning to say the things he said 20 years ago, he would shock, astound and paralyze the American people.

"What if, suddenly, from the White House today, the phrase 'predatory wealth' came crashing out? Remember that Theodore Roosevelt attacked decisions of the Supreme Court. Remember that he demanded the recall of judicial decisions by popular vote. Remember that he stood for the initiative and referendum; the primary; the eight-hour day; child labor laws; workmen's compensation, and had no word to say against the closed shop.

"Why, if Theodore Roosevelt should appear suddenly in America today and doing what he did from 1904 to 1912 the various defense societies, security leagues, minute men of the Republic, and 100% Americans would start a whispering campaign that his real name was Fedor Roosevisky, and that he was sent here as an agent of the Bolsheviki.

"So greatly have times changed! So far has the mind of America turned around the corner from the liberalism of the first decade of this century to the conservatism of today! Roosevelt will live in our history, not as a great President, but as a great agitator like Isaiah and Elijah. He stood in the courts of democracy and thundered the truth about its corruption of King Demos into its teeth."