Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-13
OUR NEW ARMY.
CONTINUED from page -


and then consider answered Gen.
Miles. T.
.Whatever is the status Of Cuba, II
wilI be necessary to maintain strong
force there for number of years.
The general answering Mr.. Hay OF
/ Virginia, said that there should be no
/ delay because the peace treaty was
NOT ratified The proper equipping of
i the army was essential as a safeguard,
pillar on which the country could
rely whatever came. When Mr.. Hay
suggested that Jamaica. no larger
than Porto Rico was governed by a
! British force of 1889 Gen. Miles said
the conditions were quite different.
Porto Rico was adequately garrisoned
for double purpose, as base for
our ships and forces, and also to pre-
vent Spain or any foreign power from
/ attempting to take it. While he dis
missed the idea that Spain would
make such an attempt. yet it was well
| to be prepared for move Of this kind
| from any quarter.
AT the afternoon meeting Gen. Scila-
| field. who preceded Cen. Miles in COM
mand Of the army, devoted his chief
attention to the friction inevitably aris-
| ing between the secretary of war and
| me commanding general under the po-
| iitlcal system. This had occurred dur
| ing the command of Gen. Scott, VINO
| removed his headquarters from New
| York to avoid difficulties arising with
| the war department. 1t occurred also
! during the command of Gen. Sherman
who went 10 st. Louis 10 avoid fric-
| lion. The trouble. said Gen. Schofeid
| arose out OF the system which gave
| the head of the army the name o.
| commanding general, when in fact ne
| had little or no authority. or even IN
! fuence, as commanding general
/ Whether he did anything depended
| largely on his personal relations with
the secretary of war If these reia-
| tons were not close then the secretary
| Of war got to ignoring the so-called
| commanding general.
| In that event the adjutant general
| became a more important official than
the commanding general. Gen. Soho
/ field urged that one OF ahe most essen
tial features of army reorganization
was to give the President absolute
| ,fiicer. Instead of creating the per;na-
|
favored giving the President authority
20 select at any time a lieutenant gen.
aral the officer occupying that position
retiring 10 his former grade.
| The title also should be that of gen
crai-in-c chief Of commanding officer. as
| that would better express tine idea that
he head of the army was the executive
| officer for the President and secretary
. 4 L.
the heads OF all staff bureaus should be
subordinate to the general-in-c chief.
/ Gen. Schofield thought the army
should consist OF about 10000 for the
| Philippines. $1,000 TO 10000 for Cuba,
5000 to 5000 for Porto Rico. 5000 for
| manning and caring for Notifications.
| 10000 for the Indian country and $1,000
as reserve. He did not believe in un-
/ derestimating the seriousness of our
| task in the Philippines and the only
thing to do was 70 meet the conditions
n the best possible manner.
After Gen. Schofieid had concluded.
| Gen. Miles spoke briefly on what had
! been said as to the commanding gen.
| eral. He said the laws now clearly re-
cognized this position as commanding
| general and one of these laws made the
geenral commanding the army a MEM
Der. eX oflicio, of the Notifications
! board. He did not approve the sugges-
ton that the head of the army be an
/ executive staff officer to the President.
! During most of the time for the last
100 years, the army had been under the
command of a general or a lieutenant
general and that was the practice the
world over. Gen. Miles said ne did not
| speak from a personal standpoint, as
he was ready to be retired at any time.
But he believed in the principle of a
rank and authority commensurate with
ne responsibility.
Gen. Miles said. in reply to a ques-
lion, that he thought it would be better
for the President to have the war min
ister more particularly direct the vast
administrative work of the war depart
ment, as it was manifestly impossible
for any man to come from civil life and
at once become familiar with all the
latest appliances of war. If the one
| occupying the chief military position
was not liked, then let some one else
be placed in military authority. Blu.
the selection should not be from so far
down on the list as to amount to favor
.tism, for that would not be approved
by the people. Gen. Miles pointed out
shat three major generals, Merritt.
Brooke and himself had come through
the recent war without hope of recog-
nNicn. He cared nothing for himself.
but he urged that the services of Gen.
Merritt and Gen. Brooke had been such
that the rank OF lieutenant general for
them would be as given under his bill.
would be eminently fitting. In this
connection he referred to the cruet
working of the system by which Meade.
Hancock and Thomas had never reach
ed the rank and recognition due them
for eminent services, two of them go
ing broken hearted to their graves.
Gen. Schofield strongly endorsed
what Gen. Miles had said on giving the
amplest recognition and rank TO gener-
ais for their services. AT tomorrow 5
hearing Adjutant General Corbin and
other bureau chiefs will be heard