The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-13
ANOTHER BILL INTRODUCED
GEORGE ID. M'CLELLAN,S PLAN FOR
REORGANIZING THE ARMY.
Testimony of Gen. A. w. Greedy and
COmmissary General Egan Before
the War Investigating Commission.


purpose are pending. one drawn by General
Miles and introduced in the Senate as the
Hawley bill. and another introduced in the
House by Chairman Hull. of the military
committee. AT the outset General Miles adj
dressed himself to the general need of in
creasng the army without reference to
either bill He said he had always favored
the establishment of a fixed standard for
the army. The experience of the last year,
he said, had demonstrated that our present
military establishment was inadequate to
maintain our position as a first-class power.
1t was necessary now to consider both our
military requirements at home and those in
our new colonial dependencies abroad, and
as to the rapidly-increasing demands made
by our seacoast Notifications. The latter,
as far as completed, required some 1856 bat
teries of artillery, and when the entire in
crease in coast defenses was completed 500
would be required. The war with Spain had
shown pretty clearly how many men would
be required General Miles said. The war
had required 1000 men for actual field oper-
atoms at various points. OF these q, 0C0
men to Manila, 10000 to Cuba and 10000 TO
Porto Rico. These were actually in the
presence of the hostile enemy. Since then
there had been reinforcements for garrison
and other purposes. At the same time the
general pointed out the necessities at home
must not be overlooked; the entire frontier
had been stripped of troops during the late
war and complaints were coming in that the
lives, families and property of those along
the frontier were jeopardized by this con-
dition. In particular there were fears of
an outbreak in the Sioux country because
of the absence of troops. 1t was not de-
sirable, therefore, so to withdraw our forces
from the frontier as to leave them defense
less or to invite disorder. These considera-
tions, said General Miles, had led him to
recommend standard of one soldier for
LOCO population at home, with native troops
on a basis of two native soldiers for every
Loco population
FILIPINOS READY TO ENLIST.
eff we are to be a first-class power in
the world proceeded General Miles, 1--WE
must have a military system adequate to
meet our responsibilities the world over. 1
believe in making that system so small that
it will not be a menace to the American
people, and at the same time large enough
to make it adequate for any emergency"
He believed one soldier to 1000 population
would give an army entirely adequate for
every need 1t would give an army of g., 900,
according to the last census, and about TO-
900 on the estimated population of to-day
In addition to this force, the use of native
troops would make an effective body in the
several colonies And said he, eff We
are to keep the Philippines-and l have no
more idea that we will give up Manila than
that we will give up Bunker Hill or any
other place immortalized in our history
then this native force will largely augment
our own troops there, and understand the
natives are ready to enter upon this serv-
ice" General Miles then explained in de-
tail the bill drawn by him.
The hearing took quite spirited turn
when several of the Democratic members
of the committee began cross-questioning
General Miles. When Representative Cox
of Tennessee, asked that the minority have
an opportunity to ask some questions Chair
man Hull expressed the hope that the COM
mittee would not divide on political lines,
as it had never before separated into ma
jOrity and minority.
In response to questions General Miles
said at least 1900 native troops and 1900 of
our troops were required to maintain order
in Porto Rico. At least 5000 were required
for Western posts exposed to Indian upris-
ings. When asked how many troops were
required in Cuba, General Miles said that,
not go into details on that point as 1t
might be enormously construed as COM
ment on his superiors in office. He expect
ed that most Of the troops would be off for
Cuba within thirty days.
when will the Cuban government be or
ganized?' asked Mr.. Sulzer, Democrat, of
Il do not know; that is a political ques-
tions," answered the general. He went on
sufficient for Cuba in the near future. The
officers in the Philippines estimated they
would require 5000 men, possibly more;
Altogether, about 10000 men were needed
abrC ad and $1,000 at home.
When Mr.. Hay, of Virginia. suggested that
Jamaica; no larger than Porto oo Rico 2 was 3
Miles said the conditions were quite differ
ent. Porto Rico was garrisOned for a double
and also to prevent Spain or any foreign
power from attempting 10 take II.
GENERAL SCHOFIELD'S VIEWS.
At the afternoon meeting General Scho-
field, who preceded General Miles in COM
mand of the army, devoted his chief atten-
ton to the friction inevitably arising be-
tween the secretary of war and the COM
mandng general under the present system.
This had occurred during the command Of
General Scott, who removed his headquar-
tiers to New York to avoid differences aris-
ing with the War Department 1t occurred
also during the command of General Sher-
man, who went TO St. Louis to avoid fric-
ton The trouble arose out of the system
which gave the head of the army the name
of commanding general, when. in fact he
had little or no authority, or even influence,
as commanding general. Whether he does
anything depends largely on his personal re-
lations with the secretary of war If these
relations are not close then the secretary Of
war gets 10 ignoring the so-caled command
ing general In that event the adJutant
general becomes a more important official
than the commanding general.
General Schotied urged that one of the
most essential features OF army reorganiZa-
ton was TO give the President absolute
Instead of creating the permanent grade of
lieutenant general, he favored giving the
President authority to select at any time a
lieutenant general, the officer occupying that
position retiring to his former grade. The
title also should be that of general-in-chief
would better express the idea that the head
of the army was the executive officer for
the President and secretary Of war. Gen.
Schofield urged also that the heads of all
staff bureaus should be subordinated to the
general-in-chief.
Concerning the size of the army under
present conditions. General Schoheld said he
estimated q need of about 1900 for the
Philippines Il 600 to 10000 for Cuba, 5000 to
5000 for Porto Rico. 1880 for manning and
caring for fortifications, 10000 for the Indian
country and 1900 as reserve. He did not
believe i'm Understanding the sriousness
of our task in the Philippines.
After General Schofeld ha, included
General Miles said he did not sove the
suggestion that the head OF thS army be
an executive STAFF officer 10 the President.
During most Of the time for the last one