The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-12-15
MILES and SCHOFIBLD
Before the House Committee on
Military Affairs.
THE FRICTION IN HIGH PLACES

General schofield Criticizes the System
which Makes the Commanding Gem
eraI Subordinate to War Secretary.
Miles ON Civilian Incompetency.
Washington. Dec. 13.-Before the
house committee on military affairs
yesterday General Miles declared that
10000 soldiers were needed abroad and
IS, 900 at home. When asked when
will the Cuban government be organ
ized?" he replied: II do not know;
that is a political question"
General Schofleld. who preceded Gen.
eral Miles in command of the army.
devoted his chief attention to the fric-
ton inevitably arising between the sec
retary Of war and the commanding
general under the present system. 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 relations with
the secretary Of war. II these rela-
tions are not close then the secretary
Of war gets to ignoring the so-called
commanding general. General Schofeld
thought the army should consist OF
about 10000 for the Philippines. 5000
to 20 900 for Cuba. 5000 to 5000 for Porto
Rico. 5000 for manning and caring for
Notifications, 10000 for the Indian
country and 1900 as a reserve.
After General Schofield had conclud-
a hrto hn
had been said as to the commanding
general. He said the laws now clearly
recognized this position as commanding
general. and one Of these laws made
the general commanding the army Il
member, ex-officio. of the Notifications
board. He did not approve the sug-
gestion that the head Of the army be
an executive staff officer to the presi-
dent During most OF the time in the
last 100 years the army had been under
the command of a general or lieutenant
general. and that was the practice the
world over. General Miles said he did
not speak from a personal standpoint,
as he was ready to be retired at any
time. But he believed in the principle
OF rank and authority commensurate
with the responsibility.
General Miles said in reply to a ques q.
tion that he thought 1t would be bet
ter for the president to have the war
minister more particularly direct the
vast administrative work Of the war
department, as 1t was manifestly i'm
possible for any man to come from civil
life and at once become familiar with
all the latest appliances Of war IL
the one occupying the chief military
position was not liked then let some one
else be placed in military authority.
But the selection should not be from
so far down the list as to amount to
favoritism. for that would not be ap-
proved by the people. General Miles
pointed out that three major generals.
Merritt. Brooke and himself. had come
through the recent war without hope OF
recognition. He cared nothing as to
himself. but he urged that the services
OF General Merritt and General Brooke
had been such that the rank of lieu
tenant general for them. as would be
given under his bill, would be emf
nsntly fitting. In this connection he
referred to the cruel working Of the
system by which Meade, Hancock and
Thomas had never received the rank
and recognition due them for eminent
services. two of them going broken
hearted to their graves.
General Schofeld strongly endorsed
what General Miles had said In giving
the amplest recognition and rank to
generals for their services.