New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-29
Age No Bar to Commits
sion ifColonel Gets Men,
Washington Report.
HUNDREDS WIRE
OFFERING SERVICES
Roosevelt Silent. but Could Re.
oruit 10000, Including Ad-
ditionsl Cavalry Brigade.
From ne Tribu,e Bureau

Washington, June 2s.-There will be
70 special opposition to commission
ing Colonel Roosevelt as a volunteer
officer. administration officials in
6iested to-day, II volunteers are called
for and he supplies unit The &C
eep,ance Of any volunteers raised by
hin would necessarily entail commits
,ioning him as their leader. with what
evsr rank the size and organization Of
the unit entitled him 10.
II he heads a brigade. and the
brigade is acceptable. Colonel Roose-
welt will be its brigadier general II
+, leads a division. he will get a
major generals commission.
Secretary Baker said that, as he
understood IT, the colonel's age would
rot debar him.
There are some men" he said. "to
whom We can apply Shakespeares line
e. Cleopatra. Age cannot wither her,
nor custom stale her infinite variety. &"
When military experts. who had not
been consulted on the planning Of the
division Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
intends Offering President Wilson, in
The event Of war with Mexico, saw the
announcement yesterday, they declared
IS one man that the division as out
lined would be the ideal force to
operate in Mexico.
Given a division 50 constituted,
with rs extra brigade Of cavalry and
position reasonably near the front"
they declared. Roosevelt would pro-
coed so fast into Mexico that the
rest OF his army would not see him
for dust.
Against German or japanese troops
i would get nowhere, but operating
under the conditions that prevail in
Nevico and against troops Of the
Mexican standard the extra mobility
gwen II by the additional brigade Of
cavalry would make IL an enormous
ground gamer and the artillery and in
fsntry would give the necessary punch.
Whoever j.. was aided T. R. in lay
irr that organization down on paper
certainly knew his trade
10000 Would Take Field.
Incidentally such a division, techni-
calv known as reinforced divi-
SION" because Of the additional brigade
O. cavalry. would. with the engineer,
acroplano and other detachments, num-
her nearer 10000 than the 1900 men
- stated boz the first description. In
cavalry alone the four regiments CON
sItutlnc the double brigade would
number 5000 men. the three regiments
o. infantry 5fO0 and the artillery an
Other 5000
a mere matter OF 5000 more men
would not r the least interfere with
tho carving out Of the programme, for,
although comparatively few knew where
the co.0ue. could be reached by wire
yes .cIdar. there were scores OF teIe-
grams received al his hotel, the Lang
don. Offering the services Of lndivldu-
oils and organizations. Some who knew
that ne would be al the Hotel Astor In
fhc evening 20 dine with Justice hughes
addressed him there.
but the real rush OF wires was al
OYSTER Bay Yesterday there were so
many me ages that the special Office
ff..u l1 T.. the Oyster Bay Inn for use
..,-,. ro,tcnts at the Bay during
f-. 0r.-conycntlon period, and which
we. abO.- TO be dismantled, was put
l.t. operation.
10 provide for the rush which is
expected 60 develop to-day extra oper-
af..e VIII be ON duty.
The telegrams thus far received come,
o. i- said. from the finest type OF ma
f.rs for the army Many of those
k,rr have
commissions i'm the regular army. ON
o. have seen service in the war with
Spain and in the Philippines, while the
number Of cX-regulars and marine corps
mon who want 10 join is legion.
There are numerous applications
from Young college men and men VINO
have served al Plsttsburg. 1t Will De
impossible for Colonel Roosevelt TO
make any acknowledgment OF these
wires for some days, If al all. by last
night the news Of mis- plan had pene-
trated the more remote points OF the
West and Southwest, where the ma
iority Of his old comrades in the Rough
Riders now live. and unless they load
Tho wires those who know of their de-
Notion to their old chief will be very
much mistaken.
Many Of those who apply, however,
NI be doomed 10 disappointment.
Those who know Colonel Roosevelt's
IDEAS OF military preparedness and ser
,.cc know that he is opposed TO whole
sale enlistment OF young married men
with families dependent upon their
earnings for support. Such men VIII
not be accepted, as a rule, though mar
iicl men Of independent means who
feel that they should serve Will not be
Disseminated against.
No Lark in Campaign.
Another type that will be riscour-
aged is the young man who thinks ser
wee will be a great big lark. No man
wII be welcome who is not absolutely
sound. who is not able 20 take care OF
himself and his mount in the event OF
DIS being assigned 10 the cavalry, or
who is unable or unwilling 10 do his
fun share Of trench digging.
While military experts, including
men Of the regular service, who, Tor Cd
Ni0us reasons could not permit thei-
names 10 be used were freely discussing
Roosevelt and his division, Colonel
Roosevelt had not a word to say.
He arrived az the Langdon about
noon from his Oyster Bay home and
found crowd OF newspaper men, cam
crs and moving picture men awaiting
l.u
Not a ward. not word, he de-
.cd There is not word for me 10
now. Later-Well. we shall see
oloncl Roosevelt was plainly an
I'd that the Plans which ne mad nov
ir ended should le made public until
i