Woodrow Wilson to Paul O. Husting

I feel very derelict in not having replied sooner to your interesting and important letter of April twenty-seventh, but I am sure you will understand and forgive when I say that I was so rushed from one thing to another that it was only when the debate on the Army bill was nearing its conclusion I was able to turn to your letter and give it the attention which it deserved. If I had known its subject matter, I would, of course, have sacrificed something else and read it sooner.
I am sure, my dear Senator, that the initial supposition upon which what you urge is based is a mistaken one. I think that later consideration of the matter and a fuller plan with regard to the methods to be adopted have convinced the War Department that it will not take anything like so long as they had at first supposed to effect the enrollment and the draft. As a matter of fact, it can probably be effected quite as fast as camps and materials can be supplied.
It is important to remember that in addition to the force of 500,000 men which we have principally been discussing, it will be necessary to raise a force of over 600,000 men to bring the Regular Army and the National Guard up to the authorized war strength. These men must be taken care of as well as the 500,000 and I dare say (though in this matter I have not yet conferred with the Secretary of War) that it may not be possible prudently to call the additional 500,000 men into camp for training at once.
My own feeling and position has been simply this: We are undertaking the grimmest business of war that the world has ever known, the Congress has authorized me to put the whole force and power of the United States into this war, and I would not dare in the circumstances to turn away from the unanimous advice of our own trained soldiers and of the soldiers who have been through the extraordinary experiences of the last three years in France and England. Their advice is unanimously in favor of the plan proposed to the Congress by the War Department and I feel that I have no choice in the matter but to follow experts in a war of experts.
I share the sentiments expressed in your letter and the predilections, but stern experience is an inexorable tutor.

With much regard and appreciation,
Cordially and sincerely yours,

Woodrow Wilson



Hon. Paul O. Husting,
United States Senate.