Long before the United States entered the war Roosevelt with his
friend, Major-General Wood, vigorously advocated a policy of national
preparedness, urging universal military training for the nation’s
youth. In explanation of his desire to see universal military service
prevail the Colonel said:
“I want to see Mrs. Vanderbilt’s son and Mrs. Astor’s son, with Pat and
Jim of Telegraph Hill, sleeping under the same dog tent and eating the
same food. I want to see the officers selected from among them on the
strict basis of merit, without regard to anything else. Then we will
have a democratic system.”
Roosevelt took a great deal of pride in the five-star service button he
wore. In a conversation with newspaper men some months after his boys
had gone abroad, he told them that he had received news that Theodore
had been in action and a bullet had struck his trench helmet and
glanced off. Theodore wrote home, his father said, that he regretted he
had not been wounded, just for the experience. Later, Theodore was to
receive his full share of such experiences.
[Illustration: COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD