Evening star., 1917-05-12
ROOSEVELT ARMY
ORDERED BY HOUSE
Adopted After Debate Charac-
terized by Enthusiasm and
Bitter Debate.
ARMY HEADS CRITICISED

An American army Of volunteers
led by Theodore Roosevelt In pos-
sible by the action taken late this
afternoon in the House Of Reprcxeu.
tattves. which voted by 21S to I.s to
send the army cOnscript bill back
TO conference with instructions to
write into the bill paragraph per-
mftting the raising of four diyisions
OF troops. 5000, In ali. tho gcneral
understanding being that Theodore
HOosevelt would be In command.
This action absolutely reveraea the
stand Of the House ON this point.
and came about after bitter debate
In which party lines were cast aside.
Theodore Roosevelt broke up the
House of Representatives today Just as
II he and his big stick had been there
to cause ruction and turmoil In the
last final struggle to enact a military
law which would allow the colonel to
lead a division of American adventures
to France. the House divided itself into
frenzied friends or bowling opponents
of the idea of 1917 edition of rough
riders. and despite the pleadings of the
chair the galleries could not refrain
from an occasional "whoop" at the men.
ton Of the coloners name
The House had before it the conferences
4
bill calling to the colors every male Amer
lcan between twenty-one anc thirty-ai.i
aside from the wide interest taken in this
new proposal in American military policy.
the utmost enthusiasm and the bitterest
satire were alike poured out in the efforts
to pass or defeat the attempt to giyo
Roosevelt an advance guard of Ameri-
cans for immediate service abreast the
Hindenburs line. The House defeated the
roosevelt proposition originally by a vote
OF ITO to 106; the Senate passed it. but
IN conference the Senate yielded to the
House, and the Roosevelt proposition had
no status at all. Tns attempt was made
this afternoon to override the conferess.
Mr.. Dent Answers Criticism.
When Representative Dent. chairman
of the military affairs committee. be-
gan his speech he answered some Of the
criticism directed at the conferees for
not making better time. He said the
War Department had asked for Imme.
date action on the Military Academy
bill, necessitating temporary cessation
OF work on the conscription bill. He
also explained in detail that the ex.
emption features of the bill to great ex.
tent are to be in the hands of the people
Of the community from which the boys"
are called.
In anticipation Of the Roosevelt row,
Representative Dent said he did not
see how it is possible for men to say
with one breath the volunteer system
Is wrong, and with the next to demand
that an exception be made IN it's favor
for some particular. leadef.
Representative Anthony Of Kansas, o
Rooseveltian, started the merry row
when he declared that there are thou.
bursting with netFtotAsms eager to
serve under the one crest American
capabie of leading such q force to
France"
'1s the general stan in favor of the
idea?" asked Representative Britten OF
Illinois.
'T do not know what the general
staff wants." said Anthony, but I do
know that the American people want
him.
The answer was a volley of the Wild
est cheers while a few low groans
were audible from the deepest section
of the southern democracy.
Roosevelt's Name Cheered.
Does the proposed amendment name
Roosevelt" asked some member in the
back of the hall.
NO." answered Representative AM
thony. ''but there is only one American
capable Of such leadership"
Another wild burst Of cheering
greeted this sally.
Representative Austin of Tennessee
followed with the suggestion that IL a
velt amendment a majority of twenty
FIVE then there ought to be enough
patriotic democrats in the House to
pass 1t.
Il notice that those who were the
flercest advocates Of the volunteer sys-
tenn are now the flercest opponents,
said Representative Gardner of Massa-
chusetts. There is no political motive
Mckinley gave Joe Wheeler Of Alabama
a generalship in the Spanish war"
Cheers from the republican side offset
by deep silence on the democratic side,
met this remark. The opposition to
the Roosevelt idea has developed the
first political note sounded in this Con-
gress. and l deplore it."
Mistakes Of the Civil War.
Representative Greene of Vermont,
republican member of the committee.
advanced the idea that the proposition
sentimental one and that solemn and
serious facts are to be faced
''The experiences and mistakes of the
civil war" he said, ARE to bc remem.
less sacrifice of lives. The proponents
Of this Roosevelt plan are asking to
write one more romance of the war
such as the Three Guardsmen' OF
Representative Sisson Of Mississippi
brought howl Of cheers when he de-
clared:
IT shall vote for Roosevelt to go, and
wish We had four other leaders like
him"
Representative Gallivan of Massachu-
setts, a democrat, with one of the most
resounding voices in all Congress. al
most split the ears of his listeners
when he got under way in advocating
the Roosevelt amendment. He declared
that If the debate continued much long
er those opposed to the Roosevelt
amendment evidently would endeavor
to convict the colonel of some crime
'I do not find any great democrats
has volunteered. I am told that the
war lords of the cabinet and some Of
the high officials in the War Depart
ment oppose his going on the ground
that he is incompetent.
Say. how many Of you have ever
tried to get real information from the
War Department officials? Have you
ever found really competent man in
the whole placer
Representative Fitzgerald of New
York declared that $4,000 Roosevelt
volunteers would be of little use in a
battle line with millions. Rather than
send Roosevelt volunteers he advo-
Gated sending the men who were train
ed with Pershing. Representative Lem
begged the democrats for political
generosity. and urged them to allow
Roosevelt to get whatever glory hc
might If he should perform service In
France. ~
Would Send Only Trained Troops.
ITO send unframed troops to France
is to do hurt and not a help" said
Representative Sherley of Kentucky