Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-21
INTEGRITY OF THE DRAFT
RESCUED BY PRESIDENT
Acceptance of Volunteer Provision
Would Have Been to Reflect on All
Others Called Into Service.
ALL MEN NOW ON SAME LEVEL
Unfortunate Effect at Home OF Such
an Expedition as Proposed by
Roosevelt Would More Than Offset
Good Impression Abroud.
Especial to The Times Dispatch.


gle stroke of the pen. but with great
tact. and perhaps with measure OF
regret President Wilson has punctur-
cd the Roosevelt volunteer army bub-
bic and has saved the selective draft
system from the stigma which other
wise would inevitably have been Wis
tied upon it.
There may have been some scnti-
mental reasons why the former Presi-
dent should have been allowed TO raise
an independent command for service in
France. In fact. these were granted
In the sta temcnt made by the Presi-
dent. but there was not ono sound mil
itary reason why double standard
method OF raising an cxpcditionary
army should be resortcd TO-
1t would have been a picturesque
thing to have sent SO eminent q citi-
zen TO Europe at the head OF a d.
vision. General Roosevelt would no
doubt have been wildly welcomed first
in England. then in France IL he could
have marched through London and
Calais to the front at the head OF an
American army. Moreover all Ameri-
ca would have felt pride In the spec
tacle, and would have pointed TO il
as a manifestation of American deter
mnation to fight this war 10 /; sue
cessful finish.
But the unfortunate effect OF such
an expedition. at home. would more
than countcrbalance the good effect
abroad. The unfairneSs OF such a plan
is so easy TO understand that It is
hard to figure out the state of mind
of Congress which authorized the Gre
alton OF a Roosevelt volunteer force.
thereby placing all responsibility for
rejecting II upon the President.
MOST DEMOCRATIC
THEORY POSSIBLE
This same Congress In the very same
bin put the selectivc draft system into
effect. II ieEisiated to this end upon
the principle Of universal liability TO
military service. the most democratic
military theory possible to conceive.
And the draft sections OF the law were
adopted by overwhelming majorities In
both branches of Congress, rnajorities
which represen, an equally overwhelm-
ing sentiment OH the part Of the coun-
try
Americans between the ages Of twenty
one and thirty Viii &c conscriptcd
Two or three hundred thousand more
likewise may be conscriptcd TO nil the
ranks Of the regular army and the
National Guard. These young men are
not invited to join the colors: they
are ordered TO take up arms and will
willingly respond to the country's call
It's
service. Congress placed every man 1T
for service upon exactly the same level.
whether called or not. There can be
no strikers or s!ackers. The men who
are left behind. for whatever reason.
Will have done all that was cNacted o..
them so long as they may have reg
istercd and by tina, act offered them
selves for whatever duty that might
be required OF them.
All this was fine and patriotic and
essentially Democratic II the lcgis!a
tion had ended there. il would have
been an act of historic Significance. Tut
into the same bill Congress wrote a
section and repeatedly insisted upon il.
authorizing the enlistment of four di-
visions of volunteers. obviously in
tended TO give Colonel Roosevelt the op-
portunity TO raise one or more Of them.
Happily this was merely an authoriza-
ton and not Il mandatory provision.
WOULD MEAN STIGMA
TO MEN CALLED ~ DRAFT
II this volunteer provision had been
put into effect by the President, tho
effect OF il would have been to re-
fleet upon every young American who
will be drafted into the military SER
vice. lie would he made to feel that
he was. in fact conscripted soldier.
that he had been compelled to do his
duty as contrasted with the men who
volunteered to do theirs He would
feel stigmatized, whether justly or un-
Justly.
This would have been particularly
go when he watched the Roosevelt
volunteers marching to the front with
great acclaim. with waving banners
and beating drums. while he perhaps
was engaged in the rough work of a
training camp. The Roosevelt army,
for the time anyway would have been
the heroic army. the patriotic army.
while the drafted army was awaiting
Its chance to take the field.
From u purely military standpoint,
II would have been no answer to have
said that the Roosevelt corps would
have been made up of men not sub
ject TO the draft II they were not
subject to CONSUMPTION the men OF his
command would either have been too
young or too old for the kind of work
needed in the trenches. Every military
expert in Washington or in Europe
knows that neither children nor men
Of middle age are physically ut for the
kind OF warfare in progress on the
French front.
but the integrity OF the draft has
now been rescued by the President lie
mas refused to put into effect the vol
unteer sections of the army bill. even
though in doing it, he denies Colonel
Roosevelt the privilege OF getting into
tho fight. The President will not he
party to any measure which In any
degree dishonors tho men who will
m a al,