Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-04-21
ROOSEVELT WANTS TO
SAY COME NOT Co
TO Ills COUNTRYMEN|
I'VE Will Have No Song Of
Hate" Says the Colonel
Recognizes No Partisan
ship While the Country Is
at War.

New York, April 21.--Colonel Roose-
welt struck back today at those who
have been using his plan for raising
q division Of troops as an argument
against obligatory service. In the
first interview he has granted on his
army plan, according to the United
Press. he reiterated strongly his de-
mand for universal obligatory service
coupled with a plea that while this
compulsory system was being made
operative, q volunteer force be sent
abroad.
Il do not want to be put in the
position Of saying to my fellow coun-
trymen-'Go to the war;" he declared.
II want to be in the position Of say
ing-'Come to the war: / am going
with you
ENoLAND's MISTAKE.
II wish we already had universal
military training in this country. But
we are as Great Britain was when the
war broke out. She had disregarded
Lord Roberto advice to have universal
military service. She was very wrong
in doing that.
but it would have been a capital
mistake If when the war broke out,
she had declined to send a small mill
tary expedition at once to Belgium,
and had refused to accept volunteers
from Canada and Australia-on the
plea that she then intended to do
nothing except in accordance with the
theory of obligatory military service.
APPROVES WILSON'S PLAN.
with all my heart. approve of
the presidents plan for universal OBJ
ligatory service-both for the present
war and as our permanent policy.
This plan will give us the army we
must have Is months hence. But we
ought to treat as a necessary supple<
ment to this plan, the utilizing of vol
unteers who would not he reached I'M
der the obligatory plan-who will not
and ought not to be asked to volun-
teer in the regular army or the ma
tional guard: but who have special
fitness for the war and who will come
forward eagerly to serve If they are to
be sent abroad at the earliest possible
The obligatory service idea Is cap
itel 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
although they would be
exempt from serving under the obli-
gatory law"
FEELING TOWARD GERMANY.
The colonel was asked how he felt
toward Germany.
Il am utterly against any hymn OF
hate in this country as against any
he exclaimed. Let US
have our hymn of hate against that
system of organized tyranny which
has made Germany a menace to the
world-as sequence Of itself becom-
Ing the evil genius of what was best
and Eoblest in the German character
We are fighting in the spirit Of An
dreae 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.
Once we have destroyed the ty-
dAiny Wo SIidIi nave The SfSTI1dnS as
our brothers and we shall eagerly
hope to admit them to the fellowship
Of free peoples"
Colonel Roosevelt was here remind
ed Of the fact that in the past he had
differed sharply in matters political
with the president under whom he
sought to serve.
NO TIME FOR PARTIsANshIP,
Once this country Is at war;" he
answered quickly, emphasizing his
staccato utterances with clenched
fists, Il recognize no partisanship
and no distinction of parties. Let us
all stand shoulder to shoulder with
out the slightest regard to ordinary
considerations = without
the slightest regard to our differences
On internal subjects-pledged all of us
alike to war for the honor of the flag
End the interests OF mankind"
~