The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-27
SPEECH. D|SAPPROVED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT
Roosevelt Makes Warm Re- joinder-Says Men Paid
 Own Expenses and Are Entitled to the Truth

ton that opportunity wns given mt the citizen soIdiery camp mt Plnttsburg, N. Y.. for Colonel RooseveIt's sensational speech yesterday and directing that nothing similar should be permitted mt any of the other camps.
 Secretary Garrison referred to Col onel Roosevelt's remarks on the mil- itary unpreparedness of the country and the attitude of the administration, Ills telegram folIowsi
 T have just seen the report in the newspapers of the speech made by ex- President Roosevelt at the Plattsburg camp. It is difficult to conceive of any thing which could have more detrimen- tai effect upon the real value of this ex- pertinent than such an incident.
 This camp, held under government au- spices, was successfully demonstrati ting many things of great moment. It's virtue consisted In the fact that it conveyed its own impressive lessons In it's practical and successful operation and results.
 No opportunity should have been fur nished to any one to present to the men any matter excepting that which was es- sential to the necessary training sLey were there to receive. Anything else could only have the effect of distracting attention from the real nature of the experiment, diverting consideration to issues which excite controversy, antagonism and i'll feeling. and thereby impairing if not de- stroying what otherwise would have been so effective.
 There must not be any opportunity given at Plattsburg or at any other slmi- lar camp for any such unfortunate conse- quences."
 Secretary Garrison said he had no further action now under contemplation. He said he had not discussed the matter with President Wilson and had no Knowledge of the Presidents views.
 General Woods Letter
 Secretary Garrison also made public portion of a letter from General Wood explaining the generals own speech on August 14 which attracted some atten- tion- and which was called to the notice of the war department. The generals ex- planation was satisfactory to the war de- pertinent
 The Secretary said he had just read the letter today on his return from brief vacation. The letter contained the fct- lowing paragraphs:
 You, perhaps, have seen something of the articles in the various papers It is needless to state thatthere was no dis cussion by me, nor has there been any by any officers here. of international af- fairs, or anything that might come under the Presidents prohibition. The talks to the men have been on purely technical subjects, explaining the use of armies. methods of raising them, sanitation. etc. My own talk was absolutely on technical lines, and had to do with the methods of raising and maintaining armies volur- tary systems, etc.. and the usual strong indorsement of the militia into which 1 think a great many of these men will go."
 RoOsevelt's Reply
 New York, August 26.-Col, Theodore Roosevelt, advised of Secretary Garrison $ telegram to Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, said today that he was entirely responsi- ble for his remarks at Plattsburg. He also said he considered the Secretary had no right to criticize General Wood.
 Colonel Roosevelt's remarks were cor- tained in a statement which read:
 Nearly three weeks ago it was an- nounced in the public press. the state ment being carried prominently in every big newspaper, that in ac>tion to Presi- dent Wilson and Secretary Garrison some scores of private citizens had been asked to go to the Plattsburgh camp, where 1t was expected they would speak to the men. Among the names mentioned in addition to my own were those of former President Taft, Samuel Gompers and John Mitchell. It Is, of course, impossible that Secretary Garrison can have been ig norant that we were aske,v and If he de- sired General Wood to notify us in ad- vance what we were expected to say or leave unsaid it was clearly his duty to direct the general accordingly.
 When the war department, after three weeks public notice. made no objection to my coming they stopped themselves from any right to criticize General Wood because l was coming or because I did not submit my speech In advance to the administration for approval. I am, of course, solely responsible for that speech and until yesterday General Wood had no more idea than Secretary Garrison what I was going to say. In the speech, not only did I never mention the Presi- dent but I never mentioned the admins tration. I spoke purely of the nation; of the people of the United States.
 ''I spoke on the assumption that the men who paid their expenses to go to this camp were citizens deeply interested In the welfare of their country; men who knew that the greatest value of this camp lies not in the months train ing to each of the two or three thousand college students and business men. but in the object lesson afforded in teaching our people what this nation should do for all her sons by teaching them in time of peace how to do their duty by the nation in time of war.
 If the administration had displayed one-tenth the spirit and energy in hold ing Germany and Mexico to account for the murder of American men, women and children that 1t Is now displaying in the endeavor to prevent our people from being taught the need of prepara- tions to prevent the repetition of suc.. murders in the future, 1t would be rem dering service to the people of this country.
 General Wood issued orders that at- tendance at my speech was not required of any man, that it was optional to come or not; orders which at once established the fact that he had no responsibility for the speech. It was delivered outside the line of tents and one-half the audi ence was made up of men and women from the surrounding country"
 The colonel seemed perturbed at the fdea that his own remarks might reflect in any way upon the record of General Wood.
 Talladera Wins