Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-03-04
Plan to Organize American Le-
giOn Not Instigated by Him.
or Related to His Command
in Any Way,
ORGANIZATIONS PURPOSE
WRONGLY INTERPRETED
Does Not Believe Movement
Intended to Further Political
Interests of Colonel Theo-
dOre Roosevelt,

Washington, March 3.-Maior Gem
eral Wood. commandlng the eastern
department OF the army. in a letter
to Brigadier General Hugh l.. Scott.
chief Of staff of the army, received
today. denies that anyone i'm his de-
partment has had any official CON
necton with the American Legion
movement TO raise rcscrvists. He
said he had learned that Theodore
Roosevelt. former secretaries of war
Wright, Stlmson and Dickinson and
others had been asked to join the
movement and that he believed some
OF them had Joined
With General Scotts permission
Secretary Garrison made public the
following extracts from General
Woods letter.
"No one at these headquarters has.
OF has had. any official connection
with the American Legion, so-called,
of which | sent You the details in my
letter OF February 81, inclosing with
it the circular relating to IT,
Number Have Joined
Il find on inquiry chat Mr. Roose-
Welt was asked to join at the time
former Secretaries of War Wright
Stmson and Dickinson were asked
also former Secretary Meyer of the
navy and others. ! believe that .
number Of them have Joined. Mr.
Roosevelt has never communicated
with me concerning it, directly or in
directly.
"My connection is limited wholly
to an interview two or three weeks
ago with two gentlemen who were the
founders of the movement, one a
former officer of volunteers Ia the
army ana the other an editor of one
OF the RidgWaN magazines Their
idea was to build up throushout the
country a list of men VINO had quail
ifications or training To- maize them
useful in a military way, i'm case
reserve should ever be established un-
der legislative enactment which
would make a reserve posse or in
case a reserve should not be estab-
lished TO have a list which la case Of
necessity would be use:ui 20 the gov
ernment as it would give the ad-
dresses, names and qualifications of
a large number of men.
No Politics in IL.
u have no doubt some effort VIII
be made to twist this into a political
move but | don't believe there is even
tinge of politics connected with it
certainly no indications Of such
tendency have reached me here.
1T has no connection with the
army up to the present time, other
than as | have indicated 70 you.
Johustons activities in connection
with it have been purely unofficial
He simply aided them with susges-
tons concerning their list Of special
qualifications ana talked the matter
of the organization over with them
He appreciated fully the fact that ne
cannot take any official position i'm
the organization Of this sort He
has tried to steer them into line Of
procedure which would fit In with
the war department plans This has
been purely in an unofficial ana per-
sonal way"
General Woods letter was a per
sonal communication to Genera;
Scott Secretary Garrison still Is
awaiting the report which he called
upon General wood TO make concern
ing the reported connection Of army
officers with the American Legion
movement