New Britain herald., 1917-05-19
ROOSEVELT CANNOT
 TAKE FORCE ABROAD
All Experienced Officers Needed
 by New Army, Wilson Says

WaSnlu8CO0s D C.s May 18-Colonel Roosevelt will not be permitted to raise his volunteer expedition to carry the Americar nag against the Prus- sian in France.
 On signing the war army bill last night President Wilson issued . state- ment saying that. acting under expert advice from both side of the water, he would be unable to avail himself at the present stage of the war of the authorization to organize volunteer divisions.
 There was talk in army circles Of the possibility that way would be found to use the one-time Presidents services in another way, but official comment on the subject was lacking.
 Presidents Statement.
 The presidents statement follows:
 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 immediately important purpose con- templated by this legislation-the prompt creation and early use of an effective army-and would contribute practically nothing to the effective strength of the armies now engaged against Germany.
 T 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 MT. Roosevelt and giving the mil- itary authorities an opportunity to Yaa vN0 ry3o l.. recruiting the forces now at the west ern front.
 Tt would be very agreeable to me to pay MT. Roosevelt this compliment and the Allies the compliment or distinguished public men and former president who has rendered many conspicuous public services and proved his gallantry in many striking ways. Politically, too, 1t would no doubt have very fine effect and make a profound impression. But this is not the time or the occasion for compli- ment or for any action not calculated to contribute to the immediate sue. cess of the war. The business now in hand is undramatic, practical and of scientific definiteness and pre-. cision.
 II shall act with regard to 1t at every step and in every particular under expert and professional advice from both sides of the water.
 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 the formation of volunteer units, and that for the preliminary training of the men who are to be drafted we shall need all our exper- fenced officers. MT. Roosevelt told me, when I had the pleasure of see- ing him 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 these whom he would desire to have designated for the service, and they were men who cannot possibly be spared from the too pressing and necessary duty of training regular troops to be put in the field in France and Belgium as fast as they can be got ready.
 '"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 full conduct of our own part in this great war rests upon me. could not escape 1t if I would. am too much interested in the cause we are fight ing for to be interested in anything but success. The issues involved are too immense for me to take into con- sideration anything whatever except the best, most effective. most imme- diate means of military action. What these means are I know from the mouths of men who have seen war as it is Is now conducted, who have no illusions and b whom grim war is a matter of business. shall cen- ter my attention upon those means and let everything else wait.
 "I should be deeply to blame should I do otherwise, whatever the argu- ment of policy for . personal sratifl- cation or advantage"