The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-16
To Send Troops to Europe
American Duty--Roosevelt
This Must Not Be Dollar War Only, Colonel Urges in
Letters to Congressmen--Supports Universal Service
But Wants Troops Abroad Immediately

Washington, April Il. - Colonel
Roosevelt in letters today to Senator
Chamberlain and Representative Dent.
chairman of the congressional military
committee. detailed his plans for rails
ing and accompanying a volunteer ex-
petition to the western European bat
tie front. He heartily approved the
administration compulsory service
program for providing a war army,
but insisted that volunteers could be
put on the firing line in four months
and that the American flag should be
there at the earliest possible moment.
When he was here last week Colo
mel Roosevelt saw the military COM
mittee chairman after his conference
with President Wilson and they asked
him to submit his view of the situ-
alton in writing.
Supports CONSUMPTION.
II most earnestly and heartily sup
port the administration bill for pro-
viding an army raised on the principle
of the universal obligatory military
II cannot too strongly emphasize my
support of the administration in this
matter and my appreciation of the
need of introducing this principle as a
permanent feature of our national
policy; it is the really democratic
prin ciple, the only principle for free
republic in which citizenship should
be based on equality of both rights
and duties. SO that universal equal suf-
frage and universal service should go
hand in hand.
1T is along the lines proposed by
the administration that we should
inaugurate our permanent military
policy and it is only thus that we can
carry on the war in proper manner.
But of course a great system of this
kind. entirely new in this country.
cannot be Immediately inaugurated
Many months must elapsc before the
army thus raised would be available
for use in Europe.
In the Meantime.
Mean while let MS use volunteer
forces in connection with Il portion OF
the regular army in order that at the
| earliest possible moment, within IL
! few months, We may put our flag on
| the firing line. We owe this to hu~
| tnanlty. Most of all we owe it to our
selves, to our national honor and self
respect. For the sake of our souls
for the sake of the memories of tho
great Americans of the past. we must
show that we do not intend to make
this merely 4 dollar war. Let US pay
with our bodies what our souls desire
Let MS without one hours unnecessary
delay put the American flag on the
battle front in this great world war
for democracy and civilization and for
| the reign of Justice and fair dealing
among the nations OF mankind"
| The colonel said he did not seek to
| have the volunteer system interfere in
any way with or substitute for the
obligatory plan but that except in Ger
tain excepted cases, the volunteers
should be composed Of men who would
not be taken under obligatory service
He proposed an amendment to the act
of March >. 1899, providing for the
raising of 5000 volunteers, so as to
authorize the president to raise a force
OF not more than 100. 900 Cor zoe 90 to
100000 lAter) for three years or tn.
duration of the war.
The Division.
~ nder this act" the letter Con,in.
ned Il should ask leave to raise 70,
, | immediate service overseas with IN,
2 flrst eNp"ditionary force an infantry
, | division of three regiment brigade!
WOMEN