theodore roosevelt-第66章
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career with a microscope。 Mr。 Barnes had； of course； all the facts； all the traditions that his long experience at Albany could give him。 And as he dated back to Boss Platt's time； he must have heard； at first hand from the Senator； his relations with Roosevelt as Governor。 But the most searching examination by Mr。 Barnes brought him no evidence； and cross…examination； pursued for many days； brought him no more。 When it became Roosevelt's turn to reply； he showed how the Albany Evening Journal； Mr。 Barnes's organ； had profited by illegal political advertising。 He proved the existence of the bi…partisan alliance with the Democratic Machine； and showed its effects on legislation and elections。 After deliberating two days； the jury brought in a verdict in favor of Roosevelt。
The trial； which had lasted two months； and cost Roosevelt 52；000 （so expensive is it for an honest man to defend his honesty against hostile politicians！） decided two things： first； that Mr。 Barnes was a Boss； and had used crooked methods； and next； that Theodore Roosevelt； under the most intense scrutiny which his enemies could employ； was freed from any suspicion of dishonest political methods or acts。 As William M。 Ivins； attorney for Mr。 Barnes； left the New York Constitutional Convention to try the case at Syracuse； he said with un concealed and alluring self…satisfaction to Mr。 Root： 〃I am going to nail Roosevelt's hide to the barn door。〃 Mr。 Root replied： 〃Be sure it is Roosevelt's and not some other hide that is nailed there。〃
CHAPTER XXIV。 PROMETHEUS BOUND
The event which put Roosevelt's patriotism to the final test； and； as it proved； evoked all his great qualities in a last display； was the outbreak of the Atrocious World War in August； 1914。 By the most brutal assault in modern times； Germany； and her lackey ally； Austria； without notice； overran Belgium and Northeastern France； and devastated Serbia。 The other countries； especially the United States； were too startled at first to understand either the magnitude or the possible implications of this war。 On August 18th； President Wilson issued the first of his many variegated messages； in which he gave this warning： 〃We must be impartial in thought as well as in action； must put a curb upon our sentiments as well as upon every transaction that might be construed as a preference of one party to the struggle before another。〃 He added that his first thought was of America。 Any one who analyzed his message carefully must have wondered how it was possible； in the greatest moral issue which had ever been thrust before the world's judgment； to remain impartial 〃even in thought〃 between good and evil。 Perhaps it was right； though hardly necessary； to impress upon Americans that they must look after their own interests first。 Would it not have been more seemly； however； especially for President Wilson； who on the previous Fourth of July had uttered his sanctimonious tribute to the superiority in virtue of the United States to all other nations； to urge his countrymen to put some of this virtue into practice at that crisis？
But the masses did not reason。 They used his admonition to remain neutral 〃even in thought〃 to justify them in not having any great anxiety as to who was right and who wrong； and they interpreted his concern for 〃America first〃 as authorizing them to go about their affairs and profit as much as they could in the warlike conditions。 Some of us； indeed； took an opposite view。 We saw that the conflict； if fought to a finish； would decide whether Democracy or Despotism should rule the earth。 We felt that the United States； the vastest； strongest； and most populous Republic in the world； pledged to uphold Democracy； should throw itself at once on the side of the European nations which were struggling； against great odds； to save Democracy from the most atrocious of despots。 Inevitably； we were regarded as incorrigible idealists whose suggestions ran counter to etiquette and were； after all； crazy。
For several years； Roosevelt had been a contributing editor of the Outlook； and although his first instinct； when the Germans ravished Belgium； was to protest and then； if necessary； to follow up our protest by a show of force； he wrote in the Outlook an approval of our taking immediately a neutral attitude。 Still； he did not let this preclude stern action later。 〃 Neutrality；〃 he said； 〃may be of prime necessity to maintain peace 。 。 。 but we pay the penalty of this action on behalf of peace for ourselves； and possibly for others in the future； by forfeiting our right to do anything on behalf of peace for the Belgians at present。〃 Three years afterwards these sentences of his were unearthed by his enemies and flung against him； but his dominant purpose； from the start； was too well known for any one to accuse him of inconsistency。 He assumed； when President Wilson issued his impartial 〃even in thought〃 message； that the President must have some secret diplomatic information which would vindicate it。
As the months went on； however； it became clear to him that Mr。 Wilson was pursuing towards the European War the same policy of contradictions； of brief paroxysms of boldness； followed by long periods of lassitude； which had marked his conduct of our relations towards the Mexican bandits。 He saw only too well； also； into what ignoble depths this policy led us。 Magnificent France； throttled Belgium； England willing but not yet ready； devastated Serbia； looked to us for sympathy and help； and all the sympathy they got came from private persons in America； and of help there was none。 Meanwhile； the Germans undermined and gangrened the American people。 Every ship brought over their slyest and most unscrupulous propagandists； who cooperated with the despicable German professors and other agents already planted here； and opened the sewers of their doctrines。 Their spies began to go up and down the land； without check。 Count Bernstorff； the German Ambassador； assumed to play with the Administration at Washington as a cat might play with half a score of mice； feeling sure that he could devour them when he chose。 A European gentleman； who came from a neutral country； and called on Bernstorff in April； 1915； told me that when he asked the Ambassador how he got on with the United States； he replied： 〃Very well； indeed； we pay no attention to the Government； but go ahead and do what we please。〃 Within a fortnight the sinking of the Lusitania showed that Bernstorff had not boasted idly。
Roosevelt understood the harm which the German conspiracy was doing among our people； not only by polluting their ideals； but actually strengthening the coils which the propagandists had been winding； to strangle at the favorable moment American independence itself。 We discovered then that the process of Germanization had been going on secretly during twenty years。 Since England was the chief enemy in the way of German world domination； the German…Americans laid themselves out to render the English odious here。 And they worked to such good purpose that the legal officers of the Administration admonished the American people that the English； in holding up merchant vessels laden with cargoes for Germany； committed breaches against international law which were quite as heinous as the sinking by German submarines of ships laden with American non…combatants。 They magnified the loss of a cargo of perishable food and set it against the ferocious destruction of neutral human beings。 Senator Lodge； however； expressed the clear thought and right feeling of Americans when he said that we were more moved by the thought of the corpse of an innocent victim of the Hun submarines than by that of a bale of cotton。
These enormities； these sins of omission and commission； of which Roosevelt declared our Government guilty； amazed and exasperated him； and from the beginning of 1915 onward； he set himself three tasks。 He wished to expose and circumvent German machinations over here。 Next； he deemed it a pressing duty to rouse our country to the recognition that we must prepare at once for war。 He saw； as every other sensible person saw； that as the conflict grew more terrible in Europe and spread into Asia and Africa； we should be dr
