theodore roosevelt-第68章
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ssia； which threatened to throw down the bases of our civilization； and for the waste of incalculable treasure。 President Wilson's apologists assert that the country was not ready for him to take any resolute attitude towards Germany in May； 1915。 They argue that if he had attempted to do so there would have been great internal dissension； perhaps even civil war； and especially that the German sections would have opposed preparations for war so stubbornly as to have made them impossible。 This is pure assumption。 The truth is that whenever or wherever an appeal was made to American patriotism； it met with an immediate response。 The sinking of the Lusitania created such a storm of horror and indignation that if the President had lifted a finger； the manhood of America； and the womanhood； too； would have risen to back him up。 But instead of lifting a finger； he wrote that message to Germany； praising the Germans for their traditional respect for justice and humanity。 And a long time had yet to pass before he made the least sign of encouragement to those Americans who would uphold the honor of the United States and would have this； the greatest of Republics； take its due part in defending Democracy against the Huns' attempt to wipe Democracy off the earth forever。
Having missed his opportunity then； Mr。 Wilson could of course plead that the country was less and less inclined to go to war； because he furnished the pro…German plotters the very respite they had needed for carrying on their work。 By unavowed ways they secured a strong support among the members of the National House of Representatives and the Senate。 They disguised themselves as pacifists； and they found it easy to wheedle the 〃lunatic fringe〃 of native pacifists into working for the domination of William of Hohenzollern over the United States； and for the establishing of his world dominion。 The Kaiser's propagandists spread evil arguments to justify all the Kaiser's crimes； and they found willing disciples even among the members of the Administration to repeat and uphold these arguments。
They told us； for instance； that their massacre served the victims of the Lusitania right for taking passage on a British steamship。 They even wished to pass a law forbidding Americans from traveling on the ocean at all； because； by doing so； they might be blown up by the Germans； and that would involve this country in diplomatic difficulties with Germany。 Next； the Germans protested against our selling munitions of war to the Allies。 Neither custom nor international law forbade doing this； and the protest stood out in ：stark impudence when it came from Germany； the country which； for fifty years and more； had sold munitions to every one who asked and had not hesitated to sell impartially to both antagonists in the Russo…Japanese War。 By playing on the sentimentality of this same 〃lunatic fringe；〃 the German intriguers almost succeeded in driving through a bill to stop this traffic。 They knew the true Prussian way of whimpering when bullying did not avail them。 And so they not only whimpered about our sending shells over to kill… the German soldiers； but they whimpered also over the dire effects which the Allied blockade produced upon the non…combatant population of Germany。 These things went on； not only a whole year； but far into the second after the sinking of the Lusitania。 Roosevelt never desisted from charging that the person ultimately responsible for them was President Wilson； and he believed that the President's apparent self…satisfaction would avail him little when he stands at the bar of History。
It may be that an entire people may lose for a time its sense of logic。 We have just had the most awful proof that； through a long…continued and deliberate education for that purpose； the German people lost its moral sense and set up diabolical standards in place of those common to all civilized races。 We know that religious hysteria has at different times； like the influenza； swept over a nation； or that a society has lost its taste for generations together in art； and in poetry。 We remember that the Witchcraft Delusion obsessed our ancestors。 It is not impossible； therefore； that between 194 and 1918 the American people passed through a stage in which it threw logic to the winds。 This would account at least for its infatuation for President Wilson； in spite of his undisguised inconsistencies and appalling blunders。 A people who thought logic ally and kept certain principles steadily before it； could hardly otherwise have tolerated Mr。 Wilson's 〃too…proud…to…fight〃 speech； and his message to Germany after the sinking of the Lusitania； or his subsequent endeavor to make the Americans think that there was no choice between the causes for which the Allies and the Teutons were fighting。 Was it not he who said that Europe was war…mad； and that America had better mind her own business； and look the other way？ Did he not declare that we were forced into war； and then that we were not？ That a President of the United States should assert or even insinuate these things during the great War for Humanity …and by Humanity I mean every trait； every advance which has lifted men above the level of the beast； where they originated； to the level of the human with its potential ascent to heights undreamed ofis amazing now： what will it be a generation hence？
Roosevelt watched impatiently while these strange phases passed before him。 He listened angrily at the contradictory utterances。 He felt the ignominy of our country's being at such a depth。 He knew Germany too well to suppose that she could be deterred by President Wilson's messages。 He saw something comic in shaking a long fore…finger and saying； 〃Tut； tut！ I shall consider being very harsh； if you commit these outrages three more times。。〃 To shake your fist at all； and then to shake your finger； seemed to Roosevelt almost imbecile。 Cut off from serving the cause of American patriotism in any public capacity； Roosevelt struggled to take his part by writing。 Every month in the Outlook； and subsequently in the Metropolitan Magazine； he gave vent to his pent…up indignation。 The very titles of some of his papers reveal his animus： 〃Fear God and Take Your Own Part〃； 〃A Sword for Defense〃； 〃America First： A Phrase or a Fact？〃； 〃Uncle Sam's Only Friend is Uncle Sam〃； 〃Dual Nationality〃； 〃Preparedness。〃 In each of these he poured forth with unflagging vehemence the fundamental verities on which our American society should rest。 He showed that it was not a mere competition in letter…writing between the honey…worded Mr。 Wilson and the sophisticated Bernstorff or the Caliban…sly Bethmann Hollweg； but that God was in the crisis； and that no adroitness of phrase or trick of diplomacy could get rid of Him。 He showed that there could not be two kinds of Americans： one genuine； which believed wholly and singly in the United States； and the other cunning and mongrel； which swore allegiance to the United Stateslip serviceand kept its allegiance to Germanyheart service。 He lost no opportunity to make his illustrations clear。 On resigning as Secretary of State after the sinking of the Lusitania； because President Wilson insisted on mildly calling Germany's attention to that crime； Mr。 Bryan addressed a large audience of Germans。
Then Roosevelt held him up to the gaze of the American people as a man who had no true Americanism。 Lest I should be suspected of misinterpreting or exaggerating Roosevelt's opinion of President Wilson； during the first two years of the war； I quote two or three passages； taken at random； which will prove； I hope； that I have summarized him truly。 He says； for instance：
Professional pacifists of the type of Messrs。 Bryan； Jordan； and Ford； who in the name of peace preach doctrines that would entail not merely utter infamy； but utter disaster to their own country； never in practice venture to denounce concrete wrong by dangerous wrongdoers 。。。。 These professional pacifists； through President Wilson； have forced the country into a path of shame and dishonor during the past eighteen months。 Thanks to President Wilson； the most powerful of Democratic nations has refused to recognize the binding moral force of international public law
