THE GREAT AMERICAN
Death closes all; but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done....
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.
Tennyson's _Ulysses_.
Not many months after Roosevelt came back from South America, the Great
War in Europe broke out. It is but dreaming now to surmise what might
have been done in those fearful days of July 1914, when the German
hordes were gathering for their attack upon the world. Once before,
and singlehanded, this country had made the German Kaiser halt. Had
there been resolution in the White House in 1914, could all the neutral
nations have been rallied at our side, and could we have spoken in
tones so decisive to the Hun that he would have drawn back even then,
have left Belgium unravaged, and spared the world the misery of the
next four years? It may be so; Germany did not expect to have to take
on England as an enemy. If she had been told, _so that there was no
mistaking our meaning_, that she would have us against her as well,
then it might have been her part to hesitate, and finally put back her
sword.
Roosevelt supported the President at first, in his policy of
neutrality, supposing him to have some special information. He
supported him with hesitation, and with qualifications however,
pointing out that neutrality is no proud position, and has many
disadvantages. Perhaps he had some inklings of the danger to the
country when our foreign affairs are managed by pacifists. Certainly
America had noticed the grim fact that a Government which forever
talked about peace had in actual practice, shed more blood in a few
hours at Vera Cruz than had been spilled in all the seven years while
Roosevelt was President. Moreover, this blood was shed uselessly; no
object whatever having been gained by it.
It is impossible to understand Roosevelt; it is impossible to get any
idea of what he did during his term of office; it is impossible to
learn anything from his career, unless we contrast him and his beliefs
and actions with the conduct of our Government during the Great War.
An object lesson of the most illuminating sort is afforded by this
contrast, and we may make up our minds about the wisest paths to be
followed in the future if we notice what Roosevelt said and did at this
time, how far and how wisely his counsel was accepted or rejected.
He disapproved, for instance, President Wilson's speech, made a day or
two after the sinking of the _Lusitania_ in which the President spoke
of a nation being "too proud to fight." Roosevelt said that a nation
which announced itself as too proud to fight was usually about proud
enough to be kicked; and it must be admitted that the Germans took
that view of it, and for a year and more continued to kick. He did not
deem it wise, when President Wilson informed the Germans, ten days
later, that we remembered the "humane attitude" of their Government
"in matters of international right," for he happened to recall that
Belgium was at that moment red with the blood of its citizens, slain
by the Germans in a sort of warfare that combined highway robbery with
revolting murder. Neither did it seem useful to him to speak about
German influence as always "upon the side of justice and humanity."
Mr. Roosevelt had always been strong for having the nation ready
for war if war should come. Mr. Wilson first said that persons who
believed this were nervous and excited. Next he joined these persons
himself, so far as words went, and finally he let the matter drop until
we were at war. Mr. Roosevelt believed that when you once were at war
it was a crime to "hit softly." Mr. Wilson waited until we had been
at war a year and over, and then announced in a speech that he was
determined to use force!
Mr. Roosevelt wrote regularly for _The Outlook_, later for the
_Metropolitan Magazine_ and the _Kansas City Star_. Thousands of his
countrymen read his articles, and found in them the only expression of
the American spirit which was being uttered. Americans were puzzled,
troubled and finally humiliated by the letters and speeches which
came from Washington. To be told that in this struggle between the
blood-guilty Hun, and the civilized nations of the earth, that we must
keep even our minds impartial seemed an impossible command. School-boys
throughout the country must have wondered why President Wilson, with
every means for getting information, should have to confess that he did
not know what the war was about! And when Mr. Wilson declared in favor
of a peace without victory, his friends and admirers were kept busy
explaining, some of them, that he meant without victory for the Allies,
and others that he meant without victory for Germany, and still others
that he meant without victory for anybody in particular.
It was not strange that Americans began to wonder what country they
were living in, and whether they had been mistaken in thinking that
America had a heroic history, in which its citizens took pride.
No wonder they turned their eyes to Europe, where scores of young
Americans, sickening at the state of things at home, had eagerly
volunteered to fight with France or England against the Hun. One of
these, named Alan Seeger, who wrote the fine poem "I have a Rendezvous
with Death," died in battle on our Independence Day. He also wrote a
poem called "A Message to America."[27] In it he said that America had
once a leader:
[27] Seeger. Poems, pp. 164, 165.
... the man
Most fit to be called American.
In it he spoke further of the same leader
I have been too long from my country's shores
To reckon what state of mind is yours,
But as for myself I know right well
I would go through fire and shot and shell
And face new perils and make my bed
In new privations, if _Roosevelt_ led.
One did not have to be long with the men who volunteered at the
beginning of the war to know that Roosevelt's spirit led these men,
and that they looked to him and trusted him as the great American. The
country's honor was safe in his hands, and no mawkish nor cowardly
words ever came from his lips.
He pointed out the folly of the pacifist type of public men, like Mr.
Bryan and Mr. Ford. The latter, helpless as a butterfly in those iron
years, led his quarreling group of pilgrims to Europe, on his "Peace
Ship," and then left them to their incessant fights with each other.
The American public was quick to see the contrast, when war came,
and Roosevelt's four sons and son-in-law all volunteered, while Mr.
Ford's son took advantage of some law and avoided military duty, in
order to add more millions to his already enormous heap. The lesson
of Roosevelt's teaching and example was not lost, and the people
recognized that the country would endure while it had men like the
Roosevelts, but that it would go down in infamy if the other sort
became numerous.
In the election of 1916 Mr. Roosevelt, after refusing the Progressive
nomination, supported Mr. Hughes, the Republican, against President
Wilson. He tried hard to get Mr. Hughes to come out with some utterance
which would put him plainly on record against the Germans and
Pro-Germans who were filling America with their poisonous schemes. For
we continued to entertain German diplomats and agents (paymasters, as
they were, of murderers and plotters of arson) and to run on Germany's
errands in various countries. The cry "He kept us out of war" was
effectively used to reelect Mr. Wilson, although members of the
Government must have been thoroughly well aware that war was coming and
coming soon.
It had long been Mr. Roosevelt's hope that if war came he might be
allowed to raise a division, as he had once helped to raise a regiment,
and take them, after suitable training, to the front. He knew where he
could put his hands on the men, regular army officers, ex-volunteers
and Rough Riders of the Spanish War, and other men of experience, who
in turn could find other men, who could be made into soldiers, for they
knew the important parts of a soldier's work, and could be trained
quickly.
But the War Department and the President would have none of Mr.
Roosevelt's services. The President replied that the high officers of
the Army advised him against it, which was undoubtedly true. It is
also extremely likely that the high officers of the Democratic Party
would advise against letting Mr. Roosevelt serve his country, as they
still feared him, and still vainly hoped that they could lessen his
influence with the American people. Unlike President Lincoln, who would
gladly accept the services of any man who could serve the country,
Mr. Wilson could work only with men who were personally pleasing,
who thought as he did on all subjects. The officer of the Army best
known to European soldiers, and the one who trained one of the best
divisions, was Roosevelt's old commander, General Leonard Wood. But
he, like a statesman, had been advising preparedness for years, and he
was therefore displeasing to the politicians who only began to prepare
after war was declared. America and the Allies did not have the benefit
of this distinguished officer's services in France.
Against the slothfulness of the Government in these years, Roosevelt
voiced the true opinion of America. He did not merely criticize, for
he offered his own services, and when he disapproved of what was being
done, he pointed out what might be done by way of improvement. In spite
of much condemnation of his course, his suggestions were nearly all
adopted--six months or a year later. His offer to raise a division
showed how many men were eager to fight, and spurred the Government
into action.
The Germans and their friends in this country, the peace-at-any-price
folk who defended or apologized for the worst crimes of the Germans,
and all the band of disloyal persons who think that patriotism is
something to be sneered at,--all these hated Roosevelt with a deadly
hatred. It was not a proud distinction to be numbered with these, and
all who joined with them have made haste to forget the fact.
In his own family, his eldest son, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., became
first a Major and later a Lieutenant-Colonel of Infantry; Kermit and
Archibald were both Captains; and Quentin was a Lieutenant in the
Aviation force. His son-in-law, Dr. Richard Derby, was a Major in the
Medical Corps. All of them sought active service, made every effort to
get to the front, and succeeded. Two of them were wounded, and Quentin
was killed in a battle in the air.
The death of his youngest son was a terrible blow to him, but he would
not wince. His son had been true to his teaching; he had dared the high
fortune of battle.
"You cannot bring up boys to be eagles," said he, "and expect them to
act like sparrows!"
Some distinguished Japanese visitors calling on Mr. Roosevelt at this
time came away deeply affected. To them he recalled the Samurai, with
their noble traditions of utter self-sacrifice.
Throughout his life, but now as never before, he told his
countrymen, there was no place in America for a divided loyalty. No
German-Americans, nor Irish-Americans, nor Scotch-Americans. He would
have no man try to split even, and be a "50-50 American."
Shortly after war had ended, he sent this message to a patriotic
meeting:
There must be no sagging back in the fight for Americanism merely
because the war is over. Any man who says he is an American, but
something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but
one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which
symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much
as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile.
We have room for but one language here, and that is the English
language, for we intended to see that the crucible turns our people
out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a
polyglot boarding-house; and we have room for but one soul loyalty,
and that is loyalty to the American people.[28]
[28] Hagedorn, p. 384.
It was practically his last word to the country he had loved and served
so well. That was on January 5, 1919.
Years before, when he and his children had played together, he had told
them a story about lions. Some of the boys had been called the lion
cubs, and henceforth their father was to them "The Old Lion."
On the sixth of January, one of his sons, who was at home recovering
from his wounds, sent a message to his brothers in France:
The Old Lion is dead.
He was buried in a small cemetery near his Long Island home. A
plain grave-stone marks the place. To his grave have come a King
and a Prince and other men of great name from Europe, to lay
wreaths there, as they put them on the tombs of Washington and
Lincoln. But what would have pleased him even more is that every
Sunday and holiday thousands of men, women and children who knew
him, thousands who loved him, although they never saw him, men who
fought at his side, and men who fought against him, go out to
stand for a moment at his grave, because they know him now as a
wise, brave, and patriotic American.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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Transcriber's note:
Any image which split a paragraph was moved.
Two quoted sections were reformatted as block quotes.