Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-02

Following Is copy OF personal
letter from Theodore RooSeNolt |,
Colonel George Griffith OF Okl1homn
CIV, organizer for the Moose lodge
who was one Of the starr Officers
tentatively selected to accompany the
proposed Roosevelt divisions 10
CoI. George Griffith Oklahoma city Okla
Nv Dear Sir.-Nuu have doubt'st seen i",
Ircsident' 'S announcement wherein he lciuHrn
10 make use Of the volunteer iot'rs "h'.
congress had authorized him TO permit me To
iaise
Prior 10 this announcement by the pro'i'
dent bad sent him a telegram ~ l"Ilo"H
u respectfully ask permission IN
mcdiatcly To raise two di'i' IONS ior IN.
mediate service NJ the front under tho
bin which has iust become law aud hold
myself ready to raise four dtNislont u
you 70 direct | rcspeciiuIp ttt'i loi
details to my last letters to The accfe
hry Of war. II granted permission
earnestly ask that Captuin Frank Mccoy
b. directed to report 10 me at once.
Minister Fletcher has written me lhai
be- is willing Also II permission to
raise the divisions IN granted ] "ou'd
like 10 come 10 Washington ns soon as
the war department is willing 30 that
may find what supplies are aNaiiH'le
aud at once direct the regular oiiicets
who are chosen for brigade nnd trgi-
mental command how aud where 10 get
10 work. ~
10 tis the president answered as follows /.
81 very much regret that | cannot
comply with the request ~ your io,e
gram Of yesterday The reasons ! have
stated In public statement made this
morning and / need not assure YOU that
my conclusions were based entirely upon
imperative considerations ot public pblcy
and not upon pcrional or private
Accordingly. communicated with as many
Of the men who had agreed TO raise nnlls
Tor service In this division AS possible, ana
Alter cousintatiun with about twenty ~ them
/ i.Aued the statement which Is herewith AZ
now rclca,c you and all your men. !
wish TO express my deep sense ut ohIshlon
10 Won and TO all those who hat volunteered
under and In connection with this division
As lou doubtless know. ! am very proud
OF the Rough Riders, the First Volunteer
Cavalry, with whom ! served ~ inc spanish
American war believe It IA - lu't and
truthful statement Of the facts when nay
that tlis regiment did M we'll Hs hny of the
admirable regular regiments with which II
served IN the Santiago campaign ~ was
raised, armed equipped, drilrd. mounted
d amounted kept two weeks aboard tihhh
ports aud put thru two victorious agstessFe
fehtg In which It lost one tllrd Of the Of
fccrs and onc.filth of the men, nll Nthlh
go days from the time | received my com
mission.
II the president had permitted mo 10 raise
the four divisions, / am certain that they
would have cqualled this record, only on a
hundred fold larger scale. They would have
all been ON the firing line hciorc or shorty
after the dtau army had begun to assmbli
aud moreover they codd have been IN.
definitely reinforced. no they would have
grown continually stronger and moro ei'
tiCiDut.
regret from the standpoint Of the country
that YOUR services were not utilized. But
the country has every reason to be proud
OF the zeal. patriotism and business Ike ci
firicncy with which YOU came forward
With all good wishes. Faithfully yours.
TuIbnnul nnnSENIt ~