In May 1917 Young appealed to Theodore Roosevelt for support of his application for reinstatement. Roosevelt was then in the midst of his campaign to form a "volunteer division" for early service in France in World War I. Roosevelt appears to have planned to recruit at least one and perhaps two black regiments for the division, something he had not told President Wilson or Secretary of War Baker. He immediately wrote to Young offering him command of one of the prospective regiments, saying "there is not another man yourself who would be better fitted to command such a regiment." Roosevelt also promised Young "carte blanche" in appointing staff and line officers for the unit. However, Wilson refused Roosevelt permission to organize his volunteer division.