The times., 1898-12-10
EMASCULATED By ALGER.
TIC Inspector Generaps Report
BADLY ScissOred.


Badly ScissOTed.
The annual report of Inspector General
Of the Army ]. C. Breckinridge was given
out for publication at the War Depart
ment yesterday afternoon. In beginning
the document Gen. Breckinridge says that
since the rendition of his last annual re-
port the changes in the military establish
ment, preceding or concurrent with the
campaign against Spain. have crowded
each other in rapid succession.
In the inspector generals department
the abolition of the inspection districts
and the assignment of the inspector gen.
eral and acting inspectors general to the
headquarters of the several geographical
military departments, as reorganized; the
addition of three inspectors general to the
permanent commissioned force of the de-
partment the appointment of an inspect
or general of volunteers for each army
corps and for each division of the forces
mobilized for the national defense, and
the promotion of four inspectors general
to a higher rank in the volunteer army
and their selection TO command troops in
the field are among the more important
recent events.
1t is stated that Inspecor General
Breckenridge himself left his Office to per-
form his inspecting duties in the field with
"A party organized for the purpose. and
proceeded under definite verbal instruc-
TONS
Every division commander in front of
Santiago on July / had at some time
served as inspector general.
As n result of his personal inspections,
Gen. Breckenridge draws these important
deductions:
But perhaps nothing has been made
clearer by experience than our need of
periodical military maneuvers and expert
mental mobilization in times Of peace 20
guard against unnecessary suffering and
delays in times of war. The progress of
civilized nations in the care and organiza-
ton Of their. expanded armies in the first
stages of war. guard their soldiers against
much hardship. sickness and loss. Lavish
expenditure and untiring energy and
kindliest attention and sympathy as sub
s:itutes for accomplished skill may be
successful, but after all, are makeshifts.
vidual officers of the corps of inspectors
or the system of inspections, is 1t not DEM
onstra ted during this war that sustained
and expert central supervision and reposi-
tory is essential TO direct, represent and
give conference to the persistent efforts
and thorough work of the inspectors. and
insure the beneficial results and intelligent
and uniform methods which their high
character and ability warrant. If sue
service Is 40 be secured. no matter
whether the War Department and general
commanding the army have the direct
control or share il with the department
commanders?
''lf ii is agreed upon all sides that the
Inspector Generals department is bu-
reau of the War Department with
powers. duties, and processes in many
respects identical with every other bu-
reau: and its subordinates became the
eye and ear of higher authority to in
sure uniformity, efficiency, and regular
ity, and record and report how ALL even
to the latest soldier perform their duties
and secure and receive their rights this
Of course. can only be efficiently accom-
piished under wise system and concen-
tration. and perfect and uniform super
vision of expert authority, exactly is
essential with the engineer or medical
departments; otherwise minor and con-
trollable errors must be expected to grow
| into public scandals. when public opinion
demands the remedy of matters which
apparently can attract no attention save
through the public press.
THE only place where such matters
can soonest attract attention and be
remedied in their incipiency is imme-
diately where they arise. whether in the
trenches and cooking place OF the pri-
vate soldier. or the desk or tent of the
officer; and the branch OF our service
| hest trained, and with established tradi-
tions to quietly effect the necessary
remedies and establish efficiency in every
sphere of military activity, is the inspec-
tor generals department as long as the
current and direction for information
and effort is intimately maintained with
the central bureau. The difficulties and
importance of maintaining this connec-
tion was fully recognized by this depart
ment. as may be indicated by the follow
ing telegram:
Port Tampa. Fla, June 10, 1905
Gen. j. P. Sanger. Acting Inspector General, War
Department. Washington, ID. C.:
The discomfort. especially OF the inexperienced
enlisted men, seems enhanced by the unsystematie
and unsupervised methods, Q. lack of inspections
OF volunteers by capable inspectors hitherto pre-
vailing. Even the preliminary inspection of
transports by officers OF This department. recog-
seem take place, and with results easily antici
pated. Please send me summary Of the several
inspection duties of both the corps and division
inspectors general (perhapS best ii prepared in
the form of an order), that may bring some good
form out of present chaos. BRECkINRIDGE,
Major General Volunteers Inspector General
Following this, the statement is made
that there was no inspector general at the
headquarters of the great camp at Chick
amauga when it was inspected in May and
June under orders from headquarters of
the army.
Some of the most interesting portions of
the inspector generals report were blue
lead-penciled after being submitted to the
Secretary of War One OF these In the
shape of an appendix is pointed criti-
cism of the management of an army by
office bureaus. In this connection he said:
THE overwhelming details of returns
and reports and requisitions and accounts
and special orders and correspondence
which legitimately devolved upon our pres
ent bureaus must cling TO them as fatally
as the poisonous shirt of Nessus. But the
higher general staff our service needs
should be free from all this, that its
highest trained military officers can give
their undivided attention 10 the systemat-
ic prepara ton and execution Of every i'm
portant military affair in easy mastery of
all necessary knowledge, SO they are the
quiet right hand of the Executive, and
then their one word mobilize means and
accomplishes more than can mountains of
less skillfully directed and perfectly or
ganized and single7headed work"
The following sentences We're eliminated
and only came to light when called for by
the Alger Relief Commission:
1T is respectfully submitted that Maj.
| Gen. Otis or some superior officer should
organize such a staff and prove its inval-
liable services to our country. Such staff
has in other countries been called the