New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-12
Colonel in High Spirits
After Conferences at
Washington
His Division Explained
Volunteer Unit First Planned
When Nation Faced War
in Mexico

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt returned
TO Oyster Bay from Washington last
night, and at once plunged into the
preparation OF his brief in support OF
the Presidents military service bill
This with the assent Of President Will
son. he will submit to Secretary Baker
and the Congressional Committee on
Military Affairs, which has before IL
the bill providing for universal oDiiga-
tory military service.
Colonel Roosevelt reached New York
! CITY Just after 4 o'clock, in high spirits
and apparently we'll satisfied with the
! result Of his interview with the fresl-
/ dent and his conferences with diplo-
mats. Representatives and army men
while ut the capital. The last OF these
to meet him was Brigadier General
Kuhn. president OF the Army War Col
! lege. who breakfasted with him at the
/ Longworth home.
This meeting with General Kuhn.
born in this country Of German parents,
gave rise TO a report in Washington
that he might be selected to head the
army corps for service abroad. IN which
the Colonel hopes he will command a
division.
Pleased at Reception
To those who met him on his arrival
Colonel Roosevelt expressed his pleas
ure at the reception given HIM by
President Wilson. more particularly as
il afforded him the opportunity to ex-
plain exactly what he had ia mind IN
the raising Of a division. This has not
been exactly clear in the minds of Of
fetal and unofficial Washington. which
in large measure believed his plan
was a substitute for the universal ser
vice bill OF the President.
This plan he discussed with Senator'S
Chamberlain and Weeks. Of the Mill
tary Affairs Committee. Secretary
Baker and others It was his idea, he
told them. TO raise 10000 or more men,
all above the age limit of twenty-five,
set for service in the bill now before
the Committee on Military Affairs.
The selection of this force OF men,
he explained, began last summer when
war with Mexico threatened and he
made his first request TO the War De
partment to be allowed TO serve. These
10000 would be divided into four bril-
gades, three of which, he expected,
would be commanded by regular army
officers. and the fourth by Rear Ad
miral Cameron McR. Winslow, who re-
tired from the navy last summer. or
the four brlgades one would be OF IN
fantry, one of field artillery and two
Of cavalry In addition there would be
regiment OF engineers, an aero
squadron, the usual hospital section
and machine gun division.
This would make what Is known in
army circles as n reinforced" divi-
sion, so called because it is larger than
the usual division, and as made up
combines unusual mobility with more
than the usual amount of punch"
4 Larger Rough Rider Unit
Substantially all Of the men making
I'D this division would come from the
ranks of those who have seen army
service, either in the war with Spain
or in the Philippines. or in the regular
army and the marine corps in time
of peace. All are men largely used 70
life in the open. and none are men with
dependent families except those OF phi
vate fortune. For this service whole
camps OF Spanish War Veterans have
offered themselves. as have large num-
beers of those who served in the Colo
nel's old command. the Rough Riders.
Some of the names mentioned in this
connection are Captain Jack Greenway,
Seth Bullock. Of Deadwood, and Dave
Goodrich. the old Harvard athlete.
The command would be larger
Rough Rider unit in the sense that it
would include men from all parts of
the United States. plainsmen and col
lege men. men Of large private for
tunes and men who daily work for
wages with their hands. Typical OF
these latter would be the engineers,
recruited by Thomas c. Desmond. a
former lieutenant Of the National
Guard. from among the $4,000 men
now engaged in digging New York sub
ways.
As explained last summer. the Off
GERS Of the various commands would
consist in large measure OF men or the
regular establishment, 10 whom the
more important commissions, such as
those OF colonel, would go with the
approval of the War Department.
Ready in Sixty Days
Such a command Colonel Roosevelt
explained to Secretary Baker, could be
started on its way to Europe within
sixty days from the order 70 mobilize.
in this discussion the question Of trans
portation came up, IL being agreed that
under existing shipping conditions 1t
would probably be necessary TO send a
brigade or perhaps regiment at a
time.
The amendment which il is proposed
to offer 10 the bill nov in committee
permits the enlistment OF such vOlun-
teer units.
~ went 10 Washington in the first
place." Colonel Roosevelt said on his
arrival here, ito reiterate my admira-
ton for the Presidents message ask
ing a declaration of war and to say
that would do everything in my power
to aid in making that declaration good.
81 most heartily back the legislation
pressed By the Administration for rails
ing an army i'm accordance with the
principle Of obligatory universal train
Ing and service. J earnestly hope that,
In addition to this legislation. there
will be passed legislation similar 10
that passed in 1899 10 provide the force
used In establishing order in the Phil
ippines.
1.-THE army 10 be raised on the prin
cple Of obligatory service, as recon-
mended by the President, VIII In all
probability not be available for use foI
a.. least a year. Ny proposal ~ 10 SUP
plement this by legislation which viii
permit the raising Of whatever numbeI
of volunteers is now necessary, whether