The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-05-24
ORDERS
ARMY TO D|sBAND)
Notifies Volunteers to Go Best
Way They Can.
MAKES REPLY TO PRESIDENT
Colonel Lauds General Pershlng-Re-
srets That He Was Not Allowed
to Lead Division to the
n. f-." Front.

New York, May 21.-Col. Theodore
Roosevelt in long statement called
upon the men who had volunteered for
his proposed division to France to dis
band Immediately. He advised them
/ to get to the front in the best way
they could. If they We're unable to Sc
cure places in service abroad, he sug-
gcsted that they devote their energies
TO aiding the country ut home.
A vigorous reply was made to the
statement of President Wilson issued
on t'rit,iy denying the Roosevelt re-
Quest for service abroad.
1t Is understood flat the colonel win
decide hot to accept the position at
tie head of the New York National
Guard offered him by Governor Whit
man. eng as. .'.''~ ~ " o.. '>E .
''','''' RooseveIt's Statement. ...
Colonel Roosevelt's statement in part
Follows: '''.
ITO the men who have volunteered
for Immediate service on the firing
line in the divisions which congress-
authorized: The president has am
nounced that lie will decline to permit
| these divisions to be organized or to
/ permit me to have Il command in con-
nection with such force. Afterscon-
lutation yesterday, personally OF by
wire, with some of the men who had
volunteered to raise uriits-regiments
and battalions-for the division, in
Gliding John G. Groome Of Pennsyl-
vanid, Seth Bullock Of South Dakota,
JOhn c. Greenway Of Arizona, John NJ.
Parker of Louisiana, Robert Carey, eX-
governor of Wyoming; j. Z. Donnclly
of Nevada, Sloane Simpson of Texas,
| ID. G. Collier and r. II. Burnham Of
California, /. l.. Reeves and ii. Mel
son jackson of Vermont, Henry l..
StimSon, former secretary of war;
| William L. Schieffelin, Hamilton Fish
and William ii. Donovan of New York,
Il. II. Claiming, David NJ. Goodrich,
William T.. Dame and various others
who We're Immediately accessible, it
was decided unanimously that in view
OF tile decision of the president, the
only course open to us Is forthwith to
disband and abandon all further effort
in connection with the division.
"As good American citizens, we 10y
| ally obey the decision of the cOmlnan-
der in chief of the American ARMY and
navy.
All Volunteers Are AbsoIved.
THE men who have volunteered will
| now consider themselves abSolved
! from all further connection with this
movement. The funds that have been
| promised will be treated as withdrawn
and applied to other purposes. l there
fore direct that this statement be sent
to the leaders in various states who
have been raising troops and that 1t
| be published. Our sole aim is to hels
IN every way in the successful prose
sutton of the war, and we most heart
tly feel that no individuals personal
interests should for one moment be
considered save as it can serve the
general public interest.
ave rejoice that d division com
posed of our fine regular soldiers and
| marines under so gallant and efficient
| leader as General Pershing is to be
sent abroad. We have right TO d
certain satisfaction in, connection
| herewith. The Brooklyn Eagle stated
authoritativeiy that the sending of this
expedition was "A compromise between
the original plans of the general staff
which favored no early expedition and
| the, request of Colonel Roosevelt for
authority for an immediate expedition.
The Roosevelt agitation backed by the
expressed desire, Of such distinguished
leaders as General Joffre and General
Petain unquestionably had it's effect in
bringing about = the Pershing expedi.
| ton. (The compromise is that) France
gets American soldiers I'm the trenches
| b,it Roosevelt will not lead or accom-
pany them. 1t is believed in Washing
| ton that any criticism for turning down
Roosevelt will be fully answered by
the fact that American soldiers are
going over 49,
''If this gives the explanation Of the
mhtter, gladly say that we are ali
unselfshly gIad to have served this
use, although naturally we regret not
to have been allowed ourselves to rem.
der active servlce.'a &s& 81
n i
!.