The Press. Wednesday, January 8, 1919. Theodore Roosevelt.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16415, 8 January 1919, Page 6

The Press. Wednesday, January 8, 1919. Theodore Roosevelt.

'I'ho most forceful personality in America, and a man whose fame and popularity were indeed world-wide, has passed nway in Theodore Roosevelt, politician, ex-President, traveller, <x~ plorpf, Boldior, author, and, always, fightor,- In the real Wild West of his own country, on African game trails, in the tropical forests of Brazil, and on thd field of battle, lie had risked life a hundred times, only in the ena to dio peacefully in sleep at home. It -wad tin incongruous end to a life that from first to last was full of energy and excitement. History may not decide that Mr Hoosevelt was a truly great man, but it cannot withhold from him liigh praise for much that lie did, and fef hi* efforts to pursue the right as ho bow it. In all his best work he had, ifc _WQ3 true, the support of an enormous body of public opinion, but it must tilso bo added that he largely created that opinion, and shaped it on tho lines of right, and tho genuine welfare of the people. As a Civil Service Commissioner he fought tooth and nail against the ' 'spoils-to-tho-victors'' system, and in his six years' occupancy of the office more than 20,000 positions for Government employees are said to have been "taken out of the realm of "purely political appointment find ■' added to the classified service to be "obtained and retained for merit " only." When ho was put in charge of tho New York polico force, he initiated a fight against the corruption with which 'it was permeated, and effected an extraordinary improvement in the moral of the force. As Governor oi New .York State, he introduced the

merit system into the State service, and so outraged the feelings of the political "bosses," for whose corrupt methods he had shown active disapproval, that they engineered his nomination and election as Vice-Presi-dent when Presidont McKinley was elected President for his second term. By so doing they thought they had got rid of an extremely unpleasant opponent, for the Vice-President of the United States is perhaps the most ineffective figure in the American political system. But the President fell by t*he hand ol an assassin, a few months after he had taken office, and Mr Roosevelt reigned in his stoad, to the chagrin, as one may well imagine, of those who had made the position possible. His term as President, which lasted for all but eight years, is memorable for the war which ho waged on political and commercial dishonesty, for his insistence on the necessity for federal control, and for his struggle, largely successful, against great financial interests which used their power improperly. In other ways his term of office as President was marked by notable achievements, among thom his work in creating tho movement for tho conservation of America's natural resources and tho undertaking of the construction of the Panama Canal, for which he secured the right from tho new republic of Panama. Always popular with the British people, even when, with magnificent self-confidence, he lectured them when their guest in London, on their policy in Egypt, his popularity grew enormously after the great war broke out. From the first lie was an out-and-out supporter of the Allies; if he could have had his way America would have joined them long before she did, and he himself would have led an American army at the front. Disappointed in this, he plunged into the task of arousing and stimulating American public opinion. In tho course of his campaign ho attacked President Wilson with some bitterness, and to the last he continued to criticise the President's ".fourteen points." It would he easier to blame him for his attitude wore it not that liis voice was ever raised on behalf of the Allies, and particularly in support of Great Britain. In that direction he once more showed his remarkable power of inspiring the nation to follow his lead. He succeeded in groat measure because he had so obviously the courage of his convictions. Ho was, probably, never afraid in his life, ho certainly never showed fear, physically 6r morally. To the last ho was, ns one of his biographers has ?aid, the leading private citizen of the "United States, and the British Empire to-day mourns with America one of the stoutest friends she has ever possessed.