The morning news., 1899-01-14
THE NnLEs-EAGAN CONTROVERSY.

THE NuLEs-EAGAN CONTROVERSY.
/ II what Inspector General Breckenridge
says is correct. the trouble between Gen.
! Miles and Gen. Eagan may result in
much needed reform. In an interview pub
! ished in our Washington dispatches yes
! terday Gen. Breckenridge was quoted as
| saying that in every war in which this
country has engaged a lack Of harmony
! has been developed between a small coterie
| Of men who have places in tho
war department and the rank and file of
/ the army From what Gen. Breckenridge
| says these men in the war department
4 spare no efforts 10 increase their own pow
er and importance. They are at the elbow
Of the Secretary of War all of the time,
! and they undertake to map out the cam
! paigns and direct the army through the
! Secretary Of War. Very naturally the gem
| eral Of the army feels that the entire con-
! troll Of the army should be left In his
/ hands. The country holds him response
bic for whatever mistakes are made ard
is ready to give him credit for the victories
| that are won. Unless he is free TO do
as his judgment dictates he ought not to
be he'd responsible for disasters which
may occur.
In wnat Cen Breckenridge said in his
interview is to be found the primary
cause of the trouble between Gen. Miles
and Gen Eagan, and it is also the cause
of the W-feeling between Gen. Miles and
the Secretary Of War. 1t seems to be
the very general understanding that Gen.
Miles, was practically ignored in the war
with Spain. The Secretary of War, as
sisted by the men in the war de-
partment. directed the operations Of the
army without consulting Gen. Miles. Gen
Miles felt that he was cutting rather
sorry figure before the country, because
the fact that he was not directing the
army. although the senior major general
was frequently published and commented
upon 1t was said that he did not feel
kindly towards the Secretary Of War, and
it is probable that he did feel bitterly to-
wards that official and also towards all
of the men who were a part of
the force of the war department and VINO
were practically directing all Of the af-
fairs of the army through the Secre-
tary.
Gen. Breckenridge probably expressed the
feelings of Gen. Miles as well as his own
when he said: What we need in the war
department is a set of gentlemen" These
men in the war department to whom Gen.
breckenridge referred undertake, we are
given to understand, TO run their respec-
1--we departments independently of the
general of the army. Having access to
the Secretary Of War at all times they
feel safe in doing pretty much as they
please-in fact, they get authority from
the secretary 10 do what they want to do,
and it gives them profound satisfaction
to thwart the general commanding If they
do not happen 10 like him The Secretary
of War not knowing much about military
matters they do not find much difficulty
| to get him to follow their advice.
Assuming that the foregoing is pretty
fair statement of the situation, is 1t not
! about time for Congress to inaugurate
reform? In framing the new army bill
! should not care be taken to prevent such
conflicts of authority as those pointed out
by Gen. Breckenridge? 1t seems that Gen.
Eagan refused on various occasions to re-
| ceive orders from Gen. Miles, and even
! declined to accede to requests made by
him Naturally Gen. Miles became very
/ bitter towards Gen. Eagan, and when the
beef" inquiry began he did not hesitate
to make an insinuation which may not
| have been warranted by any facts in his
possession. That insinuation provoked a
quarrel which Injuries the army in the
estimation of the country and may great
| ly damage one of the counry's most i'm
portant industries:
! But the real cause of the trouble exists
In the organization of the army. Is It not
the duty of Congress to remove that cause
! and thus prevent similar trouble in the flu
ture? However great the martial spirit
of our soldiers might be- it would be i'm
possible to wage a successful war with cne
of the great nations of Europe If there
were a lack of harmony between the lead
ing officers of the army and those VINO
run the war department. Now is the time
| TO remove the obstacles to harmony.
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