New-York tribune., 1898-12-15
INCREASE OF ARMY URGED.
ADJUTANTG GENERAL CORBIN GIVES HIS
VIEWS.
He SAYS FIFTY THOUSAND MEN WILL, BE PIE
ouiRED FOR CUBA AND TWENTY-FIVE rYou-

Mihtary Affairs His statements attracted unrsuoI
interest because OF their direct reference 10 condi
uo"s IN CUBA. Porto Rico and the Philippines and
the mih'ary requirements. which the War De
partment is acting. AS to the need NJ an ,rcroosoa
Army General Corbin said that was a mos, ser,
ons proposition
Inc cuban Evacuation Commission consisting
OF Generals Wade and Butler and Admiral samn
son. mas submitted statement that in order 10
preserve order and restore order in 1t will re-
quire the presence OF an army OF 30 O,O mon h.
continued. ~
General Corbin said he would send this recou
nnenu'"oh IN confidence TO the committee. but later
II was arranged that 1t should be submitted with.
out conndential reservations Ii was on this recon-
mcndation General Corbin said that the plan OF
sending troops 10 Cuba was based II mish, ne
found that 5000 men would not be absolutely reoui-
site.
But we are holding 5000 men in readiness TO 20
II required" said the General As to the rhl.p
pines, General Otis. in mmand there had said
that 1900 men were required there. In Porto Rico
the officers in command there say that the force
now on hand IL about adequate for the require
ments The present force is 5000. That made 81 900
men-5Oooo for Cuba. $500 for the Philippines and
about COCO for Porto Rico leaving OF an army OF
10000 about 1900 for at home.
1T must be borne in mind" said General Corbin
that an army in time Of peace is like insurance
1t is a preparation for emergency II we had
had such army last June there would have been
such loss of life occurred
CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE.
do you think 10000 men for Cuba a conservative
estimate" asked Mr. Jett, OF Illinois
II think Il is" answered the General
And how long will that ast? asked Mr. Hay
Il wish ] could say, answered General Corbin
But man say. You cannot view conditions
in Cuba as you can In Ohio or Pennsylvania For
a hundred years the people there have been accus-
toned be ruled by force. The officers there fear
kokt
are not there. trouble may occur"
He went on to show how the Spanish soldier had
ruled throughout Cuba. forming the rural po-
lice forces and the municipal police force IN Ha-
vana As to the trouble which had occurred In
Porto Rico General Corbn said II not due
10 a disposition TO fight the United States but TO q
tendency in wandering outlaw bands toward dis
order.
When questioned by Mr.. Hay. OF Virginia. as TO
how soon the United States troops could be with
drawn from Cuba. General Corbn said 1t was i'm
possible to say approximately There is not
a man living In my Judgment. he said who can
foresee for thirty days. what the future will
bring forth"
General Corbin said that the proposed large in
crease OF stan officers essential TO the peculiar.
new duties devolvng on Army officers In the Phil
ippines for instance they were collectors. and
would remain so until Congress provided otherwise.
Mr. Hay suggested that General Miles estimated
$3.50 for Porto Rico while General Corbin proposed
60c0
Il would defer entirely to the view of the Major
General in command of the Army on that point"
said General Corbin. "If he says 1000. then that
Is undoubtedly adequate he has been on the
ground and knows the situation there"
What Is your personal opinion. without refer
ence TO the recommendation Of the Cuban Commits
sion as TO the number Of needed In Cuba?"
asked Mr. Hay.
MORE TROUBLE IN CUBA FEARED.
Il would not have an opinion against such
Commission" replied the General. The riotins Of
the last few days. he feared. might be the casting
OF the shadow of future events" No one could see
ahead as to Cuba and It most serious aues-
ton as TO how long il would take 10 establish
order stable and permanent basis In the ISL
and. The experience Of the last war would not
warrant an affirmative answer to an inquiry as 10
the suffciency Of volunteer reserve Ihe Ma
tional Guard was an admirable body OF men TOT
ordinary emercenc,es such as the suppression OF
riots but was not best suited for daily life In the
field
When members Of the committee referred to
the superior intelligence of the volunteers coming
from civil life above that Of the Regular soldiers
General Corbin said he considered the Regular the
equal in intelligence Of the volunteer. owing to the
rigid requirements now IN h ,0TGe we,t into The San
iiago campaign had never been exceiIed, ne de-
clared ~ . -, o,,,o, o,,
The General asked II he had received any
comDlaints from the volunteers as TO their treat
ment in The war He said ne had ye' scb ,U neSr COM
nIaints as were made came from OUTSIDE sources
knowing nothing about the '1s mav anG msns FOR
a subordinate to submit complaint! asked MI
not only proper. bur the very thing he should
do answered General Corbin. - s.,
Mr. Mahany remarked that ne mao peen noouelp l
with complaints one OF them came from SOL
der who said; II have loved my country ''' " j.
'"N W Fenton aso said that complaints had reached
MN. oou,.,u ,o,tersted that he had
ceived a complaint adding that ne nad % ASKER Vuir t
unteers with whom he had come III contact 'o'
Chairman Hull said that ne Army fared as We,i ven
as or better than any army 'ha' ''" e''' '""' '"
General Corhn said that no exact forecas. cod r
Dered io have an army of 5000 men but WA,
hat army would do no one couid "r'' ,bis "ffbanI
large a field OF conjecture 10 eh'e' III '"'' '"'""'
d eeard TO the imporiunites Of Congressmen for
'ie nvavtment is disposed TO deal very lenent-
y as TO letting scoones Gn have been instructed to re-
d,ce companios 10 eighty men, so ~ 10 .e va W, ,.,
~ho were we Mere making discharges on salts,
factory statements tha' 'he "'''"
ie needed at home
GENERAL MILES HEARD AGAIN
Tho sena,. Committee Appropriations CON
rinued It's hearings on the Army pe''ie"C. ~ . w.
n,. General Miles being before the committee ior
more than an hour The pending propoS,roN a"
amendment. supported by seVera "''"D.' e 90 ' ,
viding for the immediate muster "u' VI ,' ' w.
,,r,o.,s II &c understood that Secretary AIger ana
,,a, saora,arv Meiklejohn oppose such pro-
,'jsion and Adtutant General c0Ibin mas Sa,u u
In view of the recommendation by ,h1 dne uJa cen
,ar, f.on,uieston il would not De auV e.:
e1s Niles said today thar he thought 80 ~, "tn ,S
un,,,d' he enough for cuba. Tie DtlieNe' t"ne ~
,,md ,nus, in time and at an early DAY, pc ~
Iced by natives who should be rerpnca ,.'c could
Ir,n, urder American officers, Aih'ricanS , -. ,
no, s,and the climate unless they were iih,i..' iH
We thought me standing Army shoEld oe iers
~, = Coz men and said that some OF me volum.eels
+ should he continued In service unti 'he '"'''"'o
made.