President Roosevelt, speaking at the Lincoln anniversary banquet in New
York on Tuesday, made some pointed references to the race problem. He asserted that their efforts should be directed to secure to each man, of whatever colour, equality of opportunity and treatment before the law. The only safe principle was "all men up, not some men down." He appealed to the North to exercise friendship for the South, and praised "those high-minded Southerners who had the courage to lift up their voices against lynching, and to advocate a free hand and fair field for the ambitions of the blacks." Speaking later on at the Press Club, he emphasised
the need of maintaining peaceful relations with foreign Powers. "In the relations of the United States to foreign Powers it is necessary, as in the relations of individuals, to act squarely and talk politely." One of the audience here inter- jected: "How about the big stick ? " on which the President replied : "Yes, I have that too, but I do not brandish it" ; and while insisting on the need of a strong Navy as a guarantee of peace, he appealed to newspaper men not to stir up strife between the United States and other countries.
