Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-05-19
Chief Executive Pays High
Compliment to Colonel, but
Is Following Advice of War
Experts.
VOLUNTEERS TOO OLD
FOR INTENSE STRUGGLE
All Regular Officers Required
for Service in Field and
None to Waste on Senti-
ment or Politics.
rsv MORNING JOURNAL spsc,n LEASED WIRE


Washington, May IS. - Colonel
Roosevelt will not be permitted to
raise his volunteer expedition to car
ry the American flag against the Ger
mans in France.
on signing the mary bill to-
night President Wilson issued state
ment saying that acting under expert
advice from both sides of the water
he would be unable to avail himself al
the present stage of the war of the
authorization to organize volunteer di-
visions.
There was talk In army circles to.
night of the possibility that a way
would be found to use the former
presidents services in another way
but official comment on the subJeci
was lacking.
The presidents statement follows:
\ a'sNadnnt's Statement.
Il shall not avail myself. at any rate
at the present stage of the war. of the
authorization conferred by the act to
organize volunteer divisions. To do
so would seriously interfere with the
carrying out of the chief and most i'm
medately important purpose contem-
plated by this legislation, the prompt
creation and early use of an effective
army, and would contribute practical
~ nothing to the effective strength of
the armies now engaged against Ger
many.
81 understand that the section of
this act which authorizes the creation
Of volunteer divisions in addition to
the draft was added with a view to
providing an independent command
for Mr.. Roosevelt and giving the mill
tary authorities an opportunity to use
his fine vigor and enthusiasm in re-
cruiting the forces now at the western
front.
Controlled by Duty.
at would be very agreeable to me
to pay Mr.. Roosevelt this compliment
and the allies the compliment of send
ing to their aid one of our most dis
tinguished public men, an ex-president
who has rendered many conspicuous
public services and proved his gal
lantry in many striking ways. Politi-
cally, too, it would no doubt have a
very fine effect and make a profound
impression But this is not the time
or the occasion for compliment or for
any action not calculated to contribute
to the immediate success of the war.
The business in hand now Is undra-
matte, practicable and of scientific
definiteness and precision. I shall act
with regard to it at every step and in
every particular Under expert and
professional advice, from both sides
of the water.
Cannot Spare Men.
"That advice is that the men most
needed are men of the ages contem-
plated in the draft provision of the
present bill, not men of the age and
sort contemplated in the section which
authorizes the formation of volunteer
units, and that for the preliminary
training of the men who are to be
drafted we shall need all our expert
enced officers. Mr.. Roosevelt told me,
when I had the pleasure of seeing
him a few weeks ago, that he would
wish to have associated with him
some of the most effective officers of
the regular army. He named many of
those whom he would desire to have
designated for the service and they
are men who cannot possibly be
spared from the too small force of
officers at our command for the much
more pressing and necessary duty of
training regular troops to be put into
the field in France and Begium as
fast as they can he got ready
First Force Regulars.
'"The first troops sent to France will
be taken from the present forces of
the regular army and will be under
the command of trained soldiers only.
"The responsibility for the success
ful conduct of our part in this great
war rests upon me. 7 could not es-
cape 1t If I would. I am too much ine
terested in the cause we are fighting
for to be interested in anything but
success The issues involved are too
immense for me to take into consider
alton anything whatever except the
best most effective. most immediate
means Of military action. What these
means are know from the mouths of
men who have seen war as 1t is now
who have no illusions and
10 whom the whole grim matter Is a
matter of business. I shall center my
attention upon those means and let
everything else wait
IT should be deeply to hlame should
do otherwise, whatever the argI-
ment of policy for personal gratifi-'
catior or advantage"