Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-16
COLONEL URGES HIS PLAN
TO co TO BATTLE FRONT
Must Show, Tie Says. That We Do
Not Intend to Make This
Merely Dollar War.
WANTS AMERICAN FLAG THERE
In Letters to Chairmen OF House and
Senate Military Committees, Asks
Legislation for Permission to
Raise Division for Quick Service.

w ASH lNGTON. April 15.-Dcmanding
that the United States show that it
does not intend to make this merely a
dollar war. Colonel Theodore Roosc-
welt Tonight. in letter to the chair
men of the Senate and House Military
Committees. urged his plan to take Il
division OF American troops to France.
Colonel Roosevelt argued that the ad-
ministration CONSUMPTION plan could
not be made effective Immediately and
that his volunteer plan be adopted to
place the American flag on the battle
front in this world war for democracy
and civilization"
Colonel Roosevclts letter. addressed
TO Representative Dent and Senator
Chamberlain. Endorsed enthusiastically
the principle of universal service. but
he said that probably Il year must
elapsc before the new system can be
made effective in the United States.
II most earnestly and heartily sup
port the. administration bill for FRO
rid!ns an army raised or the prin-
cipic OF universal obligatory military
training and service said his letter.
II cannot too strongly emphasize NY
support OF the administration III this
matter and my appreciation CT the need
of introducing this principle as pc;-
mancnt feature of our national policy.
L is the real principle. the only prin-
cip!e ut for free republic. in which
citizenship should be based on equality
Of both rights and duties. so that uni
sal suffrage and universal service
should go hand in naud.
SYSTEM CANNOT DE
IN MEDIATE:LE INAUGURATI;D
to
the administration that We should
inauEuratc our permanent military
policy: and it. Is only thus that we
can carry on the war In proper manner
if il should last II year or two or three
years or over. and no one can foretell
how long ii will last Eut. of course.
a great system of this kind. Il system
entirely new IN this country cannot
be Immediately inaugurated. Many
months. probably At least Il year or
over. must clapsc before the army thus
raised would he available for use in
Europe, in the hard. aggressive fight
ing campaigns which il is honorabl;,
incumbent on us 10 undertake now tina,
we have entered into tho war.
meanwhile" he said. let us use vol.
untcer forces in connection with a por-
the earliest possible moment within a
Few months. to put our flag on the firing
line We owe this to humanity. We
owe il to the small nations who have
suffered much dreadful wrong from
Germany. Most of ALL we owe i, to
ourselves. TO our national honor and
sclf-respcct. For the sake OF our own
souls. for the sake of the memories OF
the great Americans of the past. we
must show that we do not intend to
make this merely a dollar war. Let
us pay with our bodies for our souls
desire. Let us. without one hours un-
necessary delay. put the American flag
on the battle front in this great war
for democracy and civilization and for
the reign of justice and fair dealing
among the nations of mankind
WOULD NOT AFFECT MEN
HIT BY DRAFT PROPOSAL
Colonel Roosevelt proposed that the
volunteer forces be raised from men
who would not he subject 10 the uni
vcrsal military service laws He said
his plan would not take "a single man
from the forces raised under the con-
scription proposal
An amendment to the army bill au-
thorizinS the President to raise from
100000 TO 500. 900 volunteers for imme-
diate service WAS proposed in the let
ter.
Under this act" said the Colonel.
II should ask leave to raise for imme-
diatc service with tho first expedition
AIRY force an infantry division Of
three threc-rc GiTcnt brigades and one
divisional brigade Of cavalry. a rcgI-
mcnt OF engineers. motorcycle ma
chinc-Sun regiment. AN aero squadron,
"a signal corps. the supply service, etc.
should request the War Department