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.
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