The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-13
ARMY ADMINISTRATION.
Cause of Friction Between Command
ing General and Secretary.

Cause of Friction Between Command
ing General and Secretary.
The report now proceeds to take up
the subjects in their regular order.
beginning with the army.
ON the LIST day of April, the strength
Of the army was 2,143 officers and 26,-
04O enlisted men, a total of 2S, 1873. War
with the kingdom of Spain was de-
clared April q, 1898.
ON May 81, 125.000 volunteers had
been mustered into the service.
In August, 1898, the regular army
numbered $685. the volunteer army
POI, 244-a total of 263,609
These figures of themselves, indi-
cate that an immense work was thrown
upon the war department. After thirty
three years of peace, during a great
part OF which the army did not exceed
$4,000 men, it suddenly became neces-
Sary TO arm, clOthe, feed and equip
more than quarter of a million.
How that duty was discharged will
appear in detail in subsequent parts
of this report. The sudden emergency
which called our people to arms after
an interval of half q century of peace
with all foreign powers, was made by
the war department with earnestness
and energy. The situation found the
country unprepared with any large
stock of arms, ammunition, clothing,
supplies and equipments. That they
were provided and the numerous de-
mandS on the industries of our people
were met so promptly will remain one
of the marvels of history"
Speaking of the lessons taught by
experience, the report says: THE
rapidity with which commanding Of
ficerS of corps divisions, brigades, regi-
ments and officers of the staff depart
ments have prOfited by the first six
months service is shown in the i'm
provement of the new camps. their 10
cation, water supply and sanitary ar
rangements.
The weak spots in the first arrange
ments in camping troops were soon
discovered and it was learned that
with proper system and little expense
they could. be camped under favorable
sanitary conditions. The present camps
are models, the hospitals adapted to
the comfort and care Of the sick, the
grounds clean and the sanitary condi-
tions greatly improved. The troops are
now moved with DromDtness, without
friction and with more rapidity than
in the beginning of the war. These
improvements have came from expert
ence, and the new army now is far
advanced in facilities for feeding,
equipping, camping and transporta-
ton
a recommendation looking TO the
future then follows:
One of the le' cas- taught by the
war is that the country should here
after be in a better state of Drepara-
ton for war. Suggestions have been
made that large supplies of all the
not liable to deterioration
should be kept on hand, to be con-
issued and renewed, so that
in any emergency they might be avail
able. Especially should this be the case
with supplies which cannot be rapidly
obtained in open market"
FRICTION. IN DEPARTMENT.
Perhaps the most significant utter
ances in the whole document. so far as
concerns the discipline and efficiency !
Of the army, comes next.
For many years the divided author !
ity and responsibility in the war de-
partment has produced friction. for /
which in the interest of the service. a /
if possible should be applied. /
The constitution makes the president /
the commander-in-chief Of the army, /
and he cannot transfer that authority
to any other person. The president /
n
his confidence. and WHO is his conf
Dental adviser The commanding
general is assigned 10 duty as such by !
he president and under the military
avs of the United States, his duties
are defined as follows
1.-THE command exercised by the COM
handing general of the army, not haV-
ng been made the subject of statutory
equation. is determined by the order
# assignment 1t has been habitually
of the aggregate Of the sew
raj territorial commands that have
been, or may be created by the pres
dent.
The military establishment under f
riders OF the commanding general OF the
irmy, is that which pertains to its
discipline and military control. The
lscal affairs Of the army are conduct
d by the secretary of war through the
everal staff departments. (Par. 1S7,
\. r. 1880
All orders and instructions from
he president or secretary of war relat-
ng to military operations or affecting
he military control and discipline of
he army will be promulgated through
he commanding general. (Par. 1SS, a.
:. 1880
SCHOFIELD'S VIEW.
Lieutenant General Schofeld. who
as probably had as much experience
nd given the question as much
bought and study as any one in our
ountry, says, in substance:
Recent experience has served to con-
I'm all the results of my life long /
tudy and large experience that the
roper position of the senior officer of ,
he army on duty at Washington is
OF that of commanding general, po-
tion which is practically impossible,
ut that of general-in-chief, which ,
leans, in fact, chief of staff to the
resident. The title of general-in-chief {
as a permanent one during the entire {
iStory of the country up to the time {
hen General Grant became lieutenant !
eneral''
when I became the commanding {
eneral, I addressed to the president a c
tier in which [ pointed out to him &
hat had been the result of my study '
nd experience, and saying that the only !:
ay was to abandon entirely, which
did during my seven years of service, c
Il pretense of being the commanding
sneral. and to content myself with /
citing as the chief of staff of the army, \
nder the secretary of war and the q
resident. The result was. that per- q
ct harmony prevailed during my :
me, and l did not exercise a legiti- {
ate influence in command of the e
rmy, this because I did not claim to Q
lercise anything which the law did
Ot give me. S
The president must have the same Il
over of selection of his general-in- :
lief as he has of his secretary of v
ar; without this there can be no t
that he will give, or that il
re secretary of war will place in the a
that confidence which /;
necessary to perfect harmony. Meth h
l.
ar should have in command Of the