Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-30
Said to Have Sought Assur-
ance Administration Would
Not Be Criticised.
STATEMENT ISSUED LATER
NOT A MILITARY AFFAIR
Former President Made It Public
Through the Flattsburg Cham
Der of Commerce.

NEW YORK. August 30.-A special
dispatch to the Times from Plattsburg,
y. Y. says:
The rebuke teleSraphed to Maj. Gen.
Leonard Wood by Secretary of War
Garrison because of the utterances of
Theodore Roosevelt in this city last
Wednesday continues an absorbing
topic of conversation in the camps of
the business and professional mems
regiment Surprise is expressed here,
however, that 50 many newspapers con-
tinue to link the speech made at the
Plattsburg canpground by Col Roose-
Welt with the statement he subsequent
ly issued through the secretary of the
local chamber of commerce. in which
he severely arraigned the foreign pol
icy of the Wilson administration.
The New York Times correspondent
is able to set forth the exact facts so
far as the statement, issued through
the secretary of the chamber of com
merce. is concerned. Also, he is in a
position to assert that Gen. Wood had
every reason to believe that Col. Roose
Welt in his speech to the members of
the business mems regiment would not
in any way criticse either President
Wilson or his administration.
Not Issued at Camp.
1t should be understood that the
statement in which the President and
his policy were arraigned was not is
sued at the camp. The camp is two
miles from Plattsburg. The chamber
of commerce is, of course, in the heart
of the city. The statement was given
to the secretary of the chamber of
commerce by Col Roosevelt, and the
statement was typewriter in the
rooms of the chamber. The first that
Gen. Wood knew of the statement was
when he read it in Thursday mornings
newspapers.
las for the speech the night before
Col. Roosevelt arrived in Plattsburg a
correspondent of one of the New York
newspapers. who had read a synopsis
of Col. RooseveltS prepared speech. re-
marked in conversation with Gen. Wood
that Col. Roosevelt was going to de-
liver hot speech on the following
night. Gen. Wood replied that he was
confident that Col. Roosevelt would say
nothing that would not be entirely
roundinSs, and that nothing would be
said that could possibly offend any
member of the government.
Cautioned Col. Roosevelt.
The next morning Col. Roosevelt
arrived. Gen. Wood was with Col.
Roosevelt a large part of the day, and
in conversation the speech that Col
Roosevelt was to deliver was referred
to. Gen. Wood told Col. Roosevelt that
he hoped nothing would be said that
could be in any way construed as a
criticism of the government or of Pres
ident Wilson. Col Roosevelt assured
Gen. Wood that, while he would talk
on preparedness, he would treat the
subject as national and not as
party question. The coloners most
caustic utterances in the speech, it
should be said, were interpolated in
the prepared speech.
col. RooSevelt'S speech was heard by
practically every member of the regi-
ment, and it was the general opinion
here after the speech was delivered
that Col. Roosevelt had not said any
thing at which the administration
would take umbrage. Among those
who informed a relative of Col. Roose-
velts that the speech was a 'corker'
was man who has long been prom
inent as one of the most enthusia site
Wilson men in the country.
Gen. Wood has uttered no criticism
of Secretary Garrison as a result of
the rebuke he received from the Secre-
tary of War.
Unsanctioned by Gen. Wood.
Many of the generals friends were
tncensed today when thesy read in the
New York newspapers long statement
issued by national defense organiza-
ton, in which the Secretary of War
was severely criticised for the rebuke
teIegraphed to Gen. Wood. Any such
statement, it was learned here, is is
sued entirely without the sanction or
approval of Gen. Wood, who is going
his way, attending strictly to business
and doing everything possible to impart
to the business men maximum of
military knowledge in minimum Pc
Rod of time
Col. Roosevelt. at his home in Oyster
Bay, was ready yesterday to continue
his controversy with Secretary of War
Garrison, if the latter say fit to answer
any of the questions the colonel had
put to him. As Mr.. Garrison remained
silent, the colonel refused to supple
ment his remarks. But those close to
Col. Roosevelt look for another state
ment. He is said TO be fully prepared
for lengthy combat