Evening star., 1898-12-12
FOR LARGER ARMY
Reorganization Proposed by Repre-
sentative McClellan's Bill.
HEARING BEFORE MILITARY COMMITTEE
Gen. Miles Gives His Idea of an
Adequate System.
HE DESCRIBES HIS PLAN
HE DESCRIBES HIS PLAN


in the House bill for the reorganization
of the army.
1t was drawn after consultation with
resent the ideas of the younger element of
the army. 1t makes some very radical
changes in the staff and has some novel
features. 1t consoidates the adjutant gem
erals department and the inspector gen.
erals department in the general staff, alb
serbs the ordnance department into the
artillery corps, and abolishes the signal
corps, transferring the duties of that corps
to the engineer corps and the officers to the
infantry. 1t gives the quartermasters and
subsistence depa artments each regiment of
1888 enlisted men.
1t adopts the cavalry strength of the
Miles bill, the artillery strength of the Hull
bill and the infantry strength of the Miles
bill. One of the new features is Il require
ment that all officers Of the general staff
shall perform a tour of duty before each
promotion. which would give them line
duty at least every ten years. This is the
German method.
The bill also creates an equipment depart
ment to relieve the quartermasters depart
ment and confines the duties of the latter
solely to transportation.
Mr.. Mcclellan today also introduced the
Miles bill for the purpose of having it
military affairs committee.
Gen. Miles Gives His Views.
Major General Miles appeared today be-
fore the House committee on military af-
fairs for hearing relative to the proposed
reorganization and increase Of the army.
At the outset General Miles addressed
himself to the general need of increasing
the army, without reference to either the
Hull bill or his bill He said he had always
favored the establishment of fixed stand
ard for the army. The experience of the
last year he said, had demonstrated that
our present military establishment was in
adequate to maintain our position as a
frSt-claSS power
1t was necessary now to consider both
our military requirements at home, and
those in new colonial dependencies
abroad, and also the rapidly increasing
demands made by our sea coast fortifica-
tions. The latter, as far as completed, re-
quired some 1S5 batteries of artillery and
when the entire increased coast defenses
was completed 800 batteries would be re-
quired.
Men Needed for the War.
The war with Spain had shown pretty
clearly how many men would be required
Gen. Miles said. The war had required
$1,000 men for actual field operations at
various points. OF these 22.O0O men went
to Manila, 10000 to Cuba and 10000 to
Porto Rico. These were men actually in
the presence of the hostile enemy. Since
then there had been renforcements for gar
rison AMI other purposes.
At the same time the general pointed out
the necessities at home must not be over
looked. The entire frontier had been strip
ped of troops during the late war, and COM
plants were coming in that the lives, fami-
lies and property OF those along the from
tier were jeopardiZed by this condition. In
particular there were fears of an out
mt e I
absence of troops. 1t was not desirable
therefore, so to withdraw our forces from
the frontier as to leave them defenseless
or to invite disorder.
These considerations, said General Miles
had led him to recommend a standard of
one soldier for 900 of popu! tion at home
with native troops on a basis of two native
soldiers for every 1000 population.
Adequate Military system.
IF We are to be frst-class power in
the world proceeded General Miles, I'VE
must have military system adequate to
meet our responsibilities the world over |
believe In making that system SO sma |
that 1t will not be a menace to the Amer
lean people, and at the same time large
enough to make it adequate for any emer-
gency."
The science of war had undergone a COM
plete change since the days of our fore
fathers, General Miles said and now
smokeiess powder, long-range rifles and
machine guns We're the decisive elements.
With this changed condition he believed
one soldier to 1899 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 15, 100 on the
estimated population of today. In addition
to this force the use of native troops would
make an effective body in the several col
onies.
Gen. Miles said we now have a greater
number of our men abroad than any other
country, except, perhaps, Graat Britain.
The British force in Egypt was hardly
more than $500 men. On the basis of two
native soldiers for every 900 population,
the native troops in Porto Rico would be,
recruited up to about 1000, and in Cuba up
to about 5000.
And If we are to keap the Philippines
and have no more idea that we will give
up Manila than that we Will give up Bun
ker Hill. or any other place immortalized
in our history-then this native force will
largely augment our own troops thers and
i understand the natives are ready to en-
ter upon tins service"
The Miles Bill.
Gen. Miles then turned his attention to
the bill drawn by him. He had prepared
this, he said simply in order to express his
views in definite form. He explained in de-
tail the provisions as to cavalry, artillery,
anu stan AS 10 OIBdIlZd-
ton, he said the tendency was to reduce
the number of men in a regiment. as expe-
rience had shown that 900 men was about
many men as a colonel could maneuver
with effect. AS to the artillery. he urged
that the four-gun formation was more de-
sirable than the six-gun, in giving to the
enemy the first effective blows, which were
the decisive ones.
Took Spirited Turn.
tod ,,-1,a
several of the democratic committeeman be-
gan cross-questioning Gen. Miles.
When Representative Cox OF Tennessee
asked that the minority have an oppor-
tunity to ask some questions Chairman Hull
expressed the hope that the committee
would not divide on political lines, as it
had never before separated into majority
and minority.
In response to questions Gen. Miles said
at least 1900 native troops and 1000 of our
troops were required to maintain order in
Porto Rico. At least 5000 were required
for western posts exposed to Indian up
s-s,,