The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-12-14
Army Reorganization.

The testimony given by Major Gem
eral Nelson \. Miles on Monday be-
fore the house committee on military
affairs touching the subject of army re-
organization, only part of which was
reported through the Associated Press.
was interesting in the extreme. We
quote from the New York sun report.
The question was asked. "Do YOU think
that some of the mistakes Of the last war
could have been avoided if the secretary
of war had consulted more freely lhe
heads of the army and had confined his
attention principally to his ministerial
functions as the administrative head OF
the departments" 81 certainly do" Gea-
eral Miles replied. He said he considered
il impossible for any civilian to Jump into
the seat of minister of war and properly
understand the tactics ana appliances OF
war which the officers of the army had
spent all their lives in studying 1t was
too much to eXLtct, 1t would have been
perfectly simple, he said, if the secretary
at the outbreak of the war did not like
the general IN command of the army, Il
pass him by and take the next officer IN
rank by placing the commanding oiliCaI
at home on waiting orders; or, If he did
not like the second in rank, to send him
home on waiting orders, and so on down
the line until he found the man whom
he believed to be the proper man for the
place. But to pass over the heads of the
commanding officers and go so far down
the line as to pick out a subordinate
simply because he was faVCrt2 ana had
som" politica! influence, could not be toll
Grated. II do not think It is according
to the constitution" he said
In arguing for his hill to give the
commanding general the fun title OF
general and to name two lieutenant
generals so as 10 conform to the prdc-
tice in military Countries ana clothc
the commanders Of our arm" with
proper dignity, General Miles expressly
disclaimcd any Intention TO bid for
personal advancement. He was will
ing, he said, To have the bill take effect
after his retirement, but he thought ii
should be adopted out of fairness to
the army, which had never received its
deserts from congress. The report in
the sun continues
An interest feature of the hearing was
the proposition which was advocated by
both General SChOlicld ana General Miles
to include in the bill some arrangement
Whereby the president of the United
States could choose his own commanding
general, as he does his secretary of wal
and other cabinet officers. This PROPOSE
tion came up during the discussion oi
what botn generals termed the funda.
mental trouble which has always existed
between the administration and the COM
manding general. 10 obviate this General
SchOiield gave il as his opinion that some
provision which would enable the rresi-
dent 10 select his own commanding Eeu-
eral was absolutely essential This would
enable the president to select The office?
in whom he had the most confidence, and
would do away with the friction which
has always existed. General Miles Ia
yurCd the scheme, ana declared that he
was willing to retire ana give place to a
successor whenever the president of the
United states might express such de-
sire lie, as well as General Schoiield
expressed the opinion that such a meas
IRE is absolutely essential to efficient ad,
ministration Of the army.
These recommendation from our
military experts are worthy of thought
full consideration. The personal phases
OF a controversy between General
Miles. for example, and Secretary Al