The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-13

SubHlFlteQ 10 the PRESIDENT last
Wednesday by the commission appoint
ed by him to investigate: the. conduct
of the. War Department in the war with
Spain, was made public tonight. The
report is a unanimous one. all the
members of. the commission having
signed it: except Colonel Sexton, whose
death occurred February 4. The re-
port is d volQmihous document con-
tanning about $4,000 words and an off,
cial ABSTRACT prepared by the secretary
of1the commission; was furnished to the
press for its convenience.
-. Before: proceeding. to a specific de-
sCrfption of the conduct and manage
ment"of the war, the report gives com
ments.: and suggestions touching GER
tain matters which came under cousid-
GRAFTON as. a logical consequence of. the
inquiry. pursued by the commission.
20 Referring to>the question Of retired Of
tfcers;, the report. says. ...:.'. -.
SCI: Under. existing laws the officers. Of the
army are retired when they reach the. age
of 64.. We haye.had before us many spgges=
tons made by officers on the retired list,
who are Iaeri of experience. and. distinc-
ton, that this. Law should be so amended
as TO giye"to. the. President. the right. TO
call into active service any retired officer
during the: TIME OF war. This right ex-
lists as to the retired officers Of the navy.
and ii. seems. to JUS. there IS no reason. why
it Should not. be extended TO embrace
retired army officers. .'...r:. -:
% Tt does not appear reasonable that an,
arbitrary. law should prevent. during the
existence of war. the use OF experienced
men merely on account"of their. age. We
think it would re wise to make il discre-
tiOuaTy with the President TO use the OIL
GERS on the fetired- list for Milling positions
during, war and not. trench on the eXecu-
tive ORGANIZATION that may be needed in
Duripg the recent law many positions
We're dlled By the appointing ent. of civil
JAMS tow hiche retired officers could nave
knowledge: and. large experience. 49,
e. In the. matter of the regtmental Off
GERS. the: Commission found that all
Volunteer Commands Differed by. men
of: military = experience and training
Jared much better than those Differed
by Amateurs. The. soldiers We're more
" effectively. cared for. enjoyed. better
health and were better fed and clothed.
The. commission. recommends for the
future a strict examination into the
qualifications of all officers APPOINTED
TO the army regular or volunteer The
establishment of schools. Of instruction
for inexperienced officers taken from
civil life to meet the: emergency Great
ed by the war. is highly commended.
Quite a number of regular officers. as
signed ito the command Of volunteer
troops adopted this .eXpedient and the
RESULTS We're .erninently satisfactory. A
most important criticism by the COM
mission is as follows: .....
- The routine work in the departments,
in our opinion is far beyond what is nee
essary, and each year seems to increase
IL. The methods employed make 1t al
most: impossible to transact business
promptly. The heads Of all. departments,
OE largo "a pElOfSl. chiefs OF stan. de-
partrnents, corps and divisions have nee
essarily been obliged to. give the time ana
attention 10 details which should nave
been given to matters of. larger moment.
No well regulated concern OF. corporation
could transact business: satisfactorily un.
der such regulations as govern the stan
departments, and=tfl fact that every Of
ficer Of each of. the staff departments
Holding responsible. POSITIONS has been
obliged to ignore routine demonstrates the
necessity Of a thorough REFORM.
F.. The. report now proceeds to take up
the subjects. in their regular. order. be-
ginning with the army. On the first
day of April, the strength, Of the army
was. 2143 officers and 26,040 enlisted men.
a total of 2S, lS3.. War withthe ktngd9m
Of Spain was: declared April Il. 1898.
ON May 81, 125, 900: volunteers had been
mustered into the service. In August.
1898. the regular army numbered $3.50
the volunteer army 207, 244-a total OF
263.609. .>..'..
These .fgures:of themselves indicate 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 5000 men, It sud
denly became. necessary TO arm, cIothe,
feed. and equip more than quarter OF a
How. that duty was discharged will ap-
pear in detail in subsequent parts OF TINS
called our.people to arms after an inter,
val Of half a century of peace with all
foreign powers, was met by the war
Department with. earnestness and en-
ergy. The situation found the. country
unprepared with any large stock of arms,
ammunition, Clpthing, supplies and equip
numerous demands on the industries OF
our people were. met so promptly, will re-
main one :of the rnarEels. of history.
Speaking, of.the-lessofls taught by ex-
perence, the report says: :
The rapidly with which. commanding
officers of corps, divisions. origades, regt-
mems and officers: Of staff departments
hays profited by the: first Six: months.
service. is shown in the Improvement Of
the ew camps; their location, water sup
ply and sanitary arrangements
The weak spots IN the first arrange
ments in camping troops were soon dis
covered, and It was learned th~- with
proper system and little expense they
could be camped under: favorable 'sani-
tary conditions. The present camps are
models, the hospitals adaDted to the COM
fort and care of the sick, the grounds
clean ana the sanitary .COuQllfOnS greatly
Improved. The troops are now moved
with promDtness, without friction and
with more raptdity than in the beginning
Of the war These improvements have
come from experience, and the new army
now Is far advanced in facilities for feed
ing, equippins encamping and transporta-
ton.
A recommendation looking to the FIJI
ture then follows:
One Of the lessons taught by the war Is
that the country should hereafter. be in q
better state of preparation for war. Sug-
gestions have been made that large sup
plies of all the material not liable TO de-
terioration should be kept on hand to be
continuously issued and renewed, so that
In any emergency hey might be avail
able Especially should this be. the case
with supplies which cannot be rapidly OBJ
tained In open market.
Perhaps the most significant utter
ance in the whole document. so far as
concerns the discipline Of the. army.
comes next.
For many years the divided authority
and responsibility in the War Department
has produced friction, for which, in the
interest Of the service, remedy, If pos
sible, should be applied. The constitution
makes the President the COMMANDMENTS
chief Of the army, and he cannot transfer
that authority TO any other person. The
PRESIDENT selects bis Secretary q War;