The Washington times., 1917-04-21
ROOSEVELT REPEATS
CONSUMPTION PLEA
Colonel Urges Use of Volunteers
While Obligatory Service Is
Being Organized.

NEW YORK. April 2l-Colonel Roose-
velt today struck back at those who
have been using his plan for raising q
division as an argument against obliga-
tory service.
In the frs0 interview he has granted
on his army plan. he reiterated strongly
his demand for universal obligatory
service, coupled with a plea that while
this compulsory system was being made
operative, a volunteer force be sent
abroad
81 do not want to be put in the posi-
ton Of saying to my fellow country
men. Go to the war;" he declared. II
want to be in, the position OF saying:
Come to the war; I am going with
you
Il wish we already had universal
military training in this country. But
we are as Great Britain was when the
war broke. She had disregarded Lord
Roberts advice to have universal mill
tary service. She was very wrong in
doing that
Praises British Course.
but it would have been a capital
mistake II, when the war broke out. she
had declined to send a small military
expedition at once to Belgium and had
refused to accept volunteers from Can
ada and Australia-on the plea that
she then intended to do nothing except
IN accordance with the theory Of obliga-
tory military service
What she ought to have done was to
send her expediuonary army exactly as
Bhe did; 10 use the volunteers exactly
as she did-and instantly to introduce
the system Of obligatory service also.
This is precistly what we should do.
With all my heart I approve of the
Presidents plan for universal obliga-
tory service-both for the present war
and as our permanent policy. This
plan will give us the army we must
have eighteen months hence. But we
ought to treat as a necessary supple
ment to this plan the utilizing of vol
unteers who would not be reached un-
Ger the obligatory plan-who will not
and ought not to be asked to yolun-
tecr In the regular army o. the ma
tional guard, but who have special
ntness for the war and who will come
forward eagerly to serve II they are
TO be sent abroad at the earliest Dos
sible minute.
Chance for Exempts.
The obligatory service ideea Is
capital to make those serve who
ought to do something, and we ought
not to let 1t be twisted into preventing
those who ardently desire to serve
from serving-even although they
would be exempt from serving under
the obligatory laws"
The colonel was asked how ba ,.l,
toward Germany.
II am utterly against any shymn Of
hate in this country as against any
nationality" he exclaimed. LET us
have our hymn OF hate against that
system OF organized tyranny which
mas made Germany a menace to the
World-as sequence of itself becom-
Ing the evil genius of what was best
and noblest in the German character
We are fighting in the spirit of An
dreas Hofer and Of those Germans
who led the fight against the tyranny
OF Napoleonic France when we now
rally the free peoples of the world
against tyrannous militarism which
would destroy all freedom.
Roosevelt and Wilson. .
@once we have destroyed that tyr
amy we shall hail the Germans as
ouL brothers, and we shall eagerly
hope to admit them to the fellowship
OF free pee eCrles."
Colonel Roosevelt was Ae-e re-
minded OF the fact that in the nest
he had offered sharply in matters
political with the President u.der
whom he now sought to serve.
once this country is at war" he
aoswered quickly, emphasizing his
staccato utterances with clenched
nsts, Il recognize no partisanship and
no distinction Of parties.
Let us stand shoulder to shoulder
without. the slightest regard to ordi-
nary partisan considerations-with-
out the slightest regard to our diff |
ferences on internal subjects-pIedg-
ed, all Of us alike, to war for the |
honor Of the flag and the interests Of
mankind"