New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-13
MILES AND SCHOFIELD HEARD
THEY ADVOCATE INCREASE AND REof-
GANIZATION OF THE ARMY.
ARGUMENTS MADE BEFORE THE HOUSE MILITARY
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ACCOMMODATIONS
FOR AVOIDING FRICTION BETWEEN
THE COMMANDING GENERAL
AND THE SECRETARY


OF WAR.
Washingt On. Dec. 12-General Miles and General
Schoneld appeared to-day before the House COM
mittee on Military Affairs for hearing reative
10 the proposed reorganization and Increase OF tho
Army Two bills for this purpose are pending.
one drawn by General Miles and introduced In
the Senate as the Hawey bill. and another intro
duced in the House by Chairman HUI or the
Military Affairs Committee.
At the outset General Miles addressed himself TO
the general need OF increasing the Army without
reference to either bill. He said he had always
favored the establishment OF fxed standard for
the Army. The experience OF the last year he saio
had demonstrated that the present military estho-
lishment was inadequate to maintain the position
OF the United States irst-class Power IL
was necessary to consider both military require
ments nj home and those In the new colonial de-
pendenc,es abroad and also the rapidly increasing
demands made by the seacoast fortifcations. IN"
latter so far as completed. required some lso pat
teries Of artillery and when the entire increase III
coast dcfences was completed 565 batteries would
be required The with Spain had shown pretty
clearly how many men would be required. General
Miles said. The war had required "-Uo men i"r
actual field operations AT various points vi 'he''
1900 men went to Manila 10000 TO CUBA ana loc"
10 Porto Rico. These were men actually III the
presence Of the enemy. Since then there have been
reinforcements for garrison and other purposes
At the same time the General pointed out. the
necessities at home must not he oTerlooked: the
entire frontier had been stripped Of troops IN the
late war and complaints were coming In that
lives families and property Of people along the
frontier were jeopardzed by this conditon. IN
particular there were fears OF an outbreak IN the
Sioux country because OF the absence or troops
It was not desirable. therefore. to Withdraw forc"s
from the frontier so as to leave them de'ehce'es'
or 10 invite disorder. These considerations saio
General Miles had led him to recommend stan'-
nj ~ bp
home. with native troops on OASIS OF TWO ior
every thousand Of population
VAST RESPONSIBILITIES TO MEET.
"If we are 70 he n first class Power in the world"
proceeded General Miles. I'VE must have military
system adequate to meet our responsiveness 'ne
world over believe in making mat system 50
small that II Will not be menace to the American
people and at the same time large enough 10 make
IL adequate for any emergency.
The science Of war had undergone a complete
change since the DAYS of our forefathers. General
Miles said. and now smokeless powder. long
range rifles and machine guns were the decisive
elements. With this changed condition. ne DeleVed.
one soldier TO a thousand population would give an
Army entirely adequate for every need 1t would
give an Army OF 5000, according to the last
census and about 1900 on the estimated population
Of to-day. In addition to this force, the use OF
native troops would make an effective BODY IN the
colonies.
had A greater number OF abroad than any
other country except perhaps Great Britain The
British force in Egypt was hardly more than "''W
men. on the basis Of two native soldiers for every
thousand population the native troops In Porto REQ
would be recruited up to about two thousand ana IN
Cuba M 10 about three thousand And II VIC are to
keep the Philipplnes-and have no more Idea mat
We will give up Manila than that we VIII give up
Bunker lIil or any other place immortalized III our
history" he COMMUNICATION this native force VIII
largely augment our troops there, and under
stand the natives ready 10 enter upon this SER
vice
General Miles then turned his attention 20 the
b! drawn by him. lie had prepared this. ne said.
simply to express his views in definite form We
explained in detail the provisions as to caNa''y'
artillery. infantry and staff As :" tho cd'"'| VI
ganization he said the tendency was 10 reduce
the number OF men in regiment as experience
had shown tina, a thousand men was about IA many
men as a colonel could man0uvre win erect As 10
the artillery he urged that the four-gun forha-
ton was more desirable ;han the six-gun In giving
., tho enemy the frs; effective blows, which were
the decisive ones.
cROss-QUEsTIONED BY DEMOCRATS.
The hearing took spirited turn when several
Democratic members OF the committee began cross
questioning General Miles. When Representative
COX Of Tennessee. requested that the minority
have an opportunity TO ask some questions 'haf-
man Hull expressed the hope that the committee
before separated into majority ana minority
In response TO questions. General Miles said that
at least TWO thousand native troops and two thou
sand American troops were required 10 maintain
order in Porto Rico. AT least fifteen thousand were
required for Western posts exposed 10 Indian up
r,singe. When asked bow many troops were re-
ou,red In Cuba General Miles said that. as troops
were moving there now. he would not go into de-
tails on that point. II might be erroneousiy con-
strued as comment his supcrors In Office lie
expected that most OF the troops would be on Tor
| Cuba within thirty days.
when will the Cuban government he organzed?'
asked Mr. Suzer. of New York.
"I do not know that Is political question. re-
| n,ed the General. He went TO say that proba
| hv ron thousand men would be sufficient for Cuba
! IN the near future The officers In the philippines
| estimated they W lud require twenty thousand
| men and possibly more. Altogether about forty
| thousand men wer, needed abroad and thirty five
| thousand at home.
| when Cuba is independent the ten thousand
| can be Withdrawn and the Army reduccd?' sug-
| gested Mr. Suzei.
| 81 would wait until that time comes and then
| consider the question" answered General Miles.
| "Whatever is the status OF Cuba. 1t Will be neces-
| aarv 70 maintain u strong force there for a num-
| Der of years.
The General answered Mr.. Hay, of Virginia. that
there should be no delay because the peace treaty
| was not ratified. The proper equipping OF the
| Army was essential as safeguard, a plliar ON
| which the country could rely whatever came.
| When Mr. Hay suggested that Jamaica no larger
| than Porto Rico. governed by n BRUSH !orce
OF l0S9 men. General Miles said that the conditions
|