The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-12-29
T.R. TOAD WAR
WORK IN CAPITOL
Plans Trip to Washington to
Hasten Universal Train
ing Legislation.
CONFERENCES PLANNED
FavOrs Chamberlain Plan
May Try to Accelerate
Senate Investigations.

Col. Theodore Roosevelt 10 going down
to Washington to take hand in the
Congressional efforts to speed up the war
and to lend his influence to the passage
Of some measure that will bring about
universal military training for the youth
of the country before they reach the ase
when they may be called for actual SER
vice
This announcement came from Oyster
Bay last night in the form of a state
ment that the Colonel intended leaving
within a month or six weeks to, be the
guest Of his daughter. Mrs. Nicholas
Longworth. at the national capital.
There will be no public functions for
Col. Roosevelt during his Washingtonian
stay. Neither Is he to make any public
speeche. during that time. Likewise he
has banned statements OF all sorts while
he is engaged in doing missionary work
for faster war work and better prepara-
ton for Il.
Tho visit is the result OF a trip made
two weeks ago 10 oyster Bay By Sena-
tor Smoot and Representative Madden.
who are reported to have told Col
Roosevelt that ;.e ran do much work
toward shaping legislation and squirting
action If he would only get on the scene
of action.
VIII Sec Leaders,.
1t is understood that the plans for the
trip include many conferences with Re-
puolicans and Progressive leaders in
the Senate and House. at which the
Colonel VIII make suggestions as TO
what things can be done to hasten and
make more elective the cJuntrys war
preparations.
In the training feature Of his talks
ne VIII seek to have universal training
made par; of the permanent policy
of|the country. He is said to favor some
such idea as that proposed by Senator
Chamberlain. chairman Of the Senate
Committee ON Military Affairs. II was
this measure that brought from Newton
ID. Baker. Secretary OF War. the re-
marks on universal training that brought
20 much comment when his annual re-
port was made public.
Secretary Baker in his official state
nrent declined to indorse the idea of uni
rersai training and intimated that the
outcome OF the war might lead TO n
plan for setting international! disputes
through peaceable means. In going to
Washington on the other side of this
fight Col. Roosevelt Is carrying the pre-
paredness issue straight to the seat of
Government in direct opposition TO the
announced views OF the Secretary OF
War. who spoke, presumably. with the
sanction Of the President.
Msy Try to Hasten Inquiries.
Casting about for some idea of what
things would absorb his attention in
the matter of speeding Up tho war. 4:
was recalled last night that the Colonel
had repeatedly told the people OF the
West that the soldiers of the country
were not properly armed and equipped
and had criticised the War Department
along the same lines that have marked
the investigation which Is being made
by the Senate Committee on Military
Affairs. In view of these speeches
it was predicted that he would seek to
accelerate the work now being done by
such Senators az are insisting upon
going to the bottom Of the action that
has so far been taken to fit the country
for war.