Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-05-18
PR|CkS BUBBLE OF
ROOSEVELT ARMY"
SEATTLE TOWN CRIER FINDS NO
VOLUNTEERS IN THIS STATE
As CLAIMED.


ready for service under the leader
ship of Colonel Roosevelt two regi-
ments, three battalions and one COM
pany of infantry, Edwin S. Gill OF
Seattle and Senator r. A. Hutchinson
of Spokane, credited with raising this
force, know nothing about 1t, the
Seattle Town Crier pricks the bubble
of the widely heralded army of 49,
900 volunteers supposed to have been
raied by Roosevelt and suggests las
probable basis for the absurd an
nouncement that perhaps 1877 friends
have written or wired the Colonel
assuring him that each would rally
thousand men in response to his
call to arms"
The announcement that Roosevelt
had raised force of $4,000 volun-
teers has been freely commented on
by the press, emphasizing that this I
number is considerably more than
the government had been able to
raise since the declaration of war
with Germany and demanding that
he be permitted to lead the force to
the European battlefront. Referr-
ing to these comments and to "The
Roosevelt Army" the Town Crier
says:
Teddy Very Fretful.
cat the moment of writing Con-
gressional committees are still agi-
tated by the question of whether or
not Colonel Roosevelt shall be grant
ed the privilege of being the first to
slip the leash on our dogs of war.
The Colonel wants action. wants to
get into action himself No one in the
country has so fretted under restraint
and delay, nor has any been so frank.
not to say contumacious, in exhibiting
his fretfulness. No one doubts the
Colonel's sincerity, and throughout
the country there are many Of his old
compatriots, friends and admirers
who would rally to his standard at
the first blast Of the Roosevelt trump.
But advocates of the Roosevelt
plan haven't helped 1t with the
people, and apparently have hurt 1t in
the Congress, by the announcement
that the Colonel has been proceeding
with enlistments on his own hook and
already has force of $4,000 fight
ing men ready for mobilization. No
direct confirmation of this announce
ment has come from Roosevelt, nor
any denial. 1t isn't statement of
fact; 1t cannot be; and the absurdity
of the announcement as q whole may
be judged from our own knowledge
The State of Washington is credited
with two regiments, three batallions
and one company of infantry, AL
ready enrolled In the Roosevelt army.
The State of Washington knows moth
ing about any such enrolment and
1t could not have taken place without
the whole state knowing 1t.
No Troops Raised Here.
Edwin s. Gill of Seattle, a good
citizen and one who is ready to serve
his country in any way. and State
Senator Dick Hutchinson of Spokane,
are named as the Roosevelt leaders
in this state. Neither of them knew
of the raising'of Roosevelt troops in
Washington until thcy read about 1t
in the papers. Disproved here, the
announcement of the existence of this
great fighting force will probably
stand investigation no better in other
sections where men are said to have
|enlisted under the Roosevelt banner.
Colonel Roosevelt has many
friends. The Town Crier suggests
as a probable basis for the absurd
announcement that perhaps 1877 Of
these friends have written or wired
the Colonel assuring him that each
would rally thousand men in res
ponse to call to arms. Maby they
could and would; but it is certain that
no such number Of men have yet en-
listed. .
Sentiment throughout the coun-
try, not specially directed against
Colonel Roosevelt's proposals, is
strongly in favor of leaving the con-
duct of the war in the hands of the
national administration, without
bubble or condition. If the admins
tration can use Colonel Roosevelt, SO
much the better; but If Colonel
Roosevelt is trying to embarrass the
administration he should be squelch-
ed. This is United States war and
it's issues are not to be determined by
any force that Colonel Roosevelt
raise single-handed, either on paper
or in fact"
At a recent meeting of the home
economics department of the State
College of Washington an OrganiZa-